Toll rises to 7, Bihar CM announces Rs 2L ex-gratia to 4 victims

THANE/PATNA: One more labourer has succumbed to injuries following a lift crash at an under-construction 40-storey building in Maharashtra’s Thane city, raising the death toll in the incident to seven, a civic official said on Monday.

A case has been registered against the contractor under Indian Penal Code sections 304(2) (rash and negligent act), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), senior police inspector Uttam Sonawane from Kapurbawdi police station said.

The construction lift in the 40-storey building located in Balkum area in Thane collapsed on Sunday evening.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday expressed condolence on the death of four labourers, hailing from the state’s Samastipur, in a lift collapse at an under-construction 40-storey building at Thane in Maharashtra.

The four were among the seven labourers who were killed in the accident on Sunday.

“The chief minister announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each from the CM Relief Fund to the next of kin of the deceased,” a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.