Gurugram building collapse: Police collect samples of damaged structure

Gurugram, Feb 19 (IANS) Days after multiple ceilings of a residential condominium -- Chintels Paradiso -- collapsed, killing two people, a forensic team of the Haryana police on Saturday collected samples from the damaged structure in Gurugram, which will be further sent to the forensic lab in Madhuban in Karnal district to reveal the exact cause of the incident.

However, the investigating team is yet to make any arrest pertaining to the incident.

Two separate FIRs have been registered in the incident till now.

The first FIR was registered on February 10 over a complaint by the husband of one of the victims. The second FIR in the case, naming all the directors of Chintels India Limited; Ashok Solomon, Chairman of Chintels India Ltd; structure engineer, architect and the contractor, was registered on February 13.

According to the police, the structural audit report regarding the reasons for the collapse of floors of the residential tower is awaited from the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), and action will be taken according to law.

"DTCP's structural audit report and the forensic laboratory report, which will take at least two months, will play a key role in ascertaining what exactly led to the collapse. The forensic laboratory has collected samples of concrete, iron bars, cement and other materials to check the strength and quality of raw materials used in the construction," said Subhash Boken, Gurugram police spokesperson.

"On Saturday, I visited the site to look into the shifting status of the D-block tower. We have shifted all the affected families. These families, too, will be rehabilitated and the cost will be borne by the builder. The developer has been asked to give alternative options and all modalities to D-block tower residents," Gurugram District Town Planner, R.S. Bhath, told IANS.