Punjab: Ludhiana factory collapse toll rises to 2, 1 still trapped; supervisor arrested

The death toll in the Kohli Dyeing factory building collapse in Phase 8 of the Focal Point area has risen to two, with one worker still trapped under the debris. The incident occurred on Saturday evening when a pillar of the building collapsed during repair work.

Deputy commissioner Jitendra Jorwal said Jatinder Kumar was killed immediately after the collapse on Saturday, while another, identified as Gurminder Singh (Bunty), was pulled out from the debris on Sunday. The bodies have been sent to civil hospital for further legal formalities.

“Four workers were rescued on Saturday, while the search for the remaining trapped worker, Lalan Yadav, is still ongoing. Three teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with local authorities, police, and fire brigade personnel, are conducting the rescue operation. Officials are manually removing the debris to avoid harming the trapped worker,” the DC said.

Jorwal has assured that the rescue mission remains the top priority. “We are using manual equipment to ensure safe rescue operations. Efforts will continue until we reach the trapped worker. Negligence has played a significant role in the tragedy. The building was in poor condition and it is clear that the decision to conduct repairs without evacuating workers led to this unfortunate incident,” he said.

An FIR has been registered against four individuals under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The accused include factory owner Neeraj Kapoor, supervisor Teerath Lal, contractor Pragat Singh, and machine operator Avtar Singh alias Kaka.

According to the FIR, the factory was undergoing pillar repair work despite the weakened structure. The building collapsed around 5.30pm on Saturday when only seven workers were inside, out of 29 who were present in the morning. “The decision to allow heavy machinery work despite the building’s poor condition directly caused the collapse,” the FIR added.

The police have arrested factory supervisor Teerath Lal, while the other three accused are undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the collapse. Their arrests are expected once they are discharged from the hospital.

Deputy commissioner Jorwal has also ordered a magisterial probe, led by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) East, to determine the exact cause of the incident and fix responsibility. The police are also conducting a separate investigation.

Punjab revenue minister Hardeep Singh Mundian visited the site and assured the families of the victims that the government would cover the medical expenses of the injured workers and provide compensation to the families of the deceased.