Mumbai: Two days after one person was killed when a portion of a godown in Pydhonie collapsed on a hutment nearby, police registered an offence of causing death due to negligence against the organisers of a religious event on Tuesday.
On April 29, the top part of the godown on Yusuf Meherally Road came crashing down, killing Mohamed Sheikh (20), who was sleeping in the hutment. Senior PI Avinash Kanade, Pydhonie police station, said, “Investigations so far have revealed that there was a religious gathering at the Mariamma temple next to the godown. The organisers had tied a rope to a hook on the godown’s wall to put up decorative lighting, and the other end was tied to a tree across the lane. As the godown was an old construction, the wall gave way under the weight of the lighting.”
Mr. Kanade said, “We have not named anyone as accused, and have registered the FIR against the event’s organisers. We are conducting inquiries with them to find out who fastened the lighting to the hook on the godown’s wall. Based on this, further action will be decided.”
Police said the event is held every year at the temple, and the hook is used to put up the lighting. “We believe that the godown’s facade had become weak over the years, and the repeated pressure on the outer wall every year was a contributing factor. The organisers should have known this and taken care to prevent the mishap,” Mr. Kanade added.
The statements of two friends of the victim, who stayed with him, have been recorded, according to which they were in the hutment at the time of the incident, but escaped with minor injuries.
All three worked as contract labour and had been living there for several years. Police are also making inquiries with the godown’s owner about the structure’s condition and maintenance undertaken.
