Five persons were crushed to death and two others injured when the walls of a newly built water tank collapsed during urs on the outskirts of Yapaladinni village, around 25 km from here, on Saturday morning.
In a swift action, six persons, including gram panchayat officials, government engineers and the contractor were booked by the police for the incident.
The victims were among the estimated 10,000 people who arrived at the village to take part in the weeklong urs that was under way at the Hazarath Janglipeersab Dargah since Friday.
According to eyewitnesses, around 8.30 a.m., three of the four walls of the small water tank close to the dargah — which had been filled with water for the first time on Friday — collapsed on the pilgrims who were inside taking a wash.
Two injuredEeresh Kabber (29) and Jogi Pujari (55), both residents of Timmapurpet in Raichur; Huseinappa Kabber (21) of Gattu village in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana; Shahajahan (30) of Yemmiganur in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh; and Jomel Misal (40) of Odisha; died on the spot. Two others, who were injured, are recovering at the Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences.
‘Poor construction’Immediately after the incident, several relatives and pilgrims staged a protest holding the Yapaladinni gram panchayat, zilla panchayat officials and the contractor responsible for the tragedy.
Officials said the tank was built by the gram panchayat at a cost of Rs. 2.29 lakh, and was opened to the public on Friday. The protesters alleged that the tank had been built without proper foundation or strong pillars.
Based on a complaint lodged by the Zilla Panchayat Deputy Secretary Mukkanna Karigar, the Yapaladinni police have booked Yapaladinni Panchayat Development Officer Chennamma, panchayat president Lakshmi Timmappa, its member Veeresh, Junior Engineer Niranjan, Assistant Junior Engineer G.N. Prakash and contractor Veeresh Reddy, under Sections 304a (causing death by negligence) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.
Deputy Commissioner and in-charge Chief Executive Officer of ZP, Sasikanth S. Senthil, has suspended Ms. Chennamma and Mr. Niranjan. The district administration has announced a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh to the kin of the deceased.
