Dharwad building collapse: Toll rises to 14

Dharwad, Mar 22: The Dharwad building collapse death toll mounted to 14 on Friday after one more body was found from the wreckage as the rescue operation continued for the fourth consecutive day.

FIR has been registered against building owners, Ravi Basavaraj Sabarad, Basavaraj D Nigadi, Gangappa S Shintri, Mahabaleshwar Puradagudi and engineer Vivek Pawar. All four owners have surrendered before the police and the engineer has been taken into police custody.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy visited the site on Thursday and told the media that several people were suspected to be trapped under the brash.

He said the district administration has already announced a magisterial inquiry and the government is ready to appoint a retired high court judge if required. A Sub Divisional Executive Magistrate said the toll has risen to 14.

On Wednesday, the Indian Air Force airlifted two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to Karnataka's Hubli from Hindon in Uttar Pradesh to join the rescue and search operation after an under-construction building collapsed in Kumareshwar Nagar in Dharwad on Tuesday.