9 killed due to rain-related incidents in West Vidarbha

Akola, Aug 6 (UNI) Nine people have lost their lives following continuous rains since the past three days in Western Vidarbha's Akola, Washim and Buldhana districts.

The death toll in yesterday's house collapse in Kothdi Bazar area here rose to six. Eight people were injured in the incident.

The deceased have been identified as Arba Mohsin (16), Mohd Mohsin Abdul Kayyum (8), Fatema Sazzad Hussain (30), her one-and-half-year old daughter Munira, Akram Abdul Kayyum Muniyaar (8) and Baitunbi Abdul Khalil Muniar (60).

An offence has been registered against owner of the ill-fated building, Anwarbhai Fruitwale u/s 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code. Fruitwale has been reported absconding since the collapse, police said.

The minicipal corporation had served a notice to Fruitwale to demolish the building four years back. The building was constructed unauthorisedly using sub-standard materials. The four-storeyed building situated in the narrow lane of Kothadi Bazar is making it difficult to undertake rescue work which is still on. Two cranes and one JCB machine could not reach the incident spot, official sources said.

In another incident one person identified as Shankar Tulsiram Sirsat (39), a resident of Khirpuri village was washed away in a flooded nallah while trying to cross it in adjoining Ridhora village. Sirsat's friend did not venture into the flooded nallah and was thus saved, police said.

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