Wall collapse: Death toll rises to 29

Coimbatore, May 25 (UNI) The death toll in the May 23 tragic wall collapse on the outskirts of Tirupur rose to 29, with one more person succumbing to injuries at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital early today.

As many as 27 people, mostly migrant workers, had been crushed to death instantaneously and seven others injured, when a 22-ft-high and 400-ft-long compound wall of a knitwear factory collapsed under the impact of heavy rains and fell on the adjacent TASMAC bar, selling Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). Yesterday, one more person succumbed to injuries at the hospital.

Meanwhile, police have arrested the bar licencee E Kandasamy (36) of Mannarai, last night.

Police had registered a case against the licencee for running the bar without any basic facilities and not ensuring safety norms.

Besides, cases had been registered against the owner of the hosiery unit, P Subramaniam, and the contractor who built the bar. Both of them were absconding, fearing arrest, and a special team formed to inquire into the incident had spread a dragnet for them.

Kandasamy, who had also been secured for interrogation a couple of days back in connection with a murder case, would be produced before a court today for remand.

A majority of the TASMAC shops in Tirupur were closed yesterday to mourn the tragedy.

Tamil Nadu Ministers M K Stalin and Pongalur N Palanisamy visited the hospital here today and enquired about the health condition of those injured in the mishap.

UNI