A case has been registered against building owner Bilal Ahmed Abu Bakar Khan and contractor Ashok following the collapse of the Kohinoor Building in Bhiwandi's Balaji Nagar area of Maharashtra, as the death toll climbed to nine on Saturday, 1 August. The four-storey structure, which had previously been declared unsafe by local civic authorities, partially gave way late on Thursday night while repair work was reportedly underway on its pillars.

Legal Action Initiated

The complaint was lodged by Faisal Abdul Qayyum Tatli (51), In-charge Assistant Commissioner (Unauthorized Construction) of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation. According to officials, the case has been filed under Sections 105 and 125(A) and (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with Sections 52 and 53 of the MRTP Act. Khan is accused of constructing the building without obtaining the required permissions, while contractor Ashok was allegedly carrying out repair work on the building's pillars at the time of the collapse.

How the Collapse Unfolded

The building housed 48 rooms — 12 on each floor — and had been flagged as dangerous by municipal authorities due to its deteriorating condition. Residents began hearing loud cracking sounds from the structure at around 9 pm on Thursday. Locals quickly alerted occupants and helped several families evacuate. However, the building's 'B' wing suddenly gave way at approximately 11:30 pm, trapping several people beneath the debris before all residents could escape.

Survivor Accounts

Survivor Deepak Kumar Yadav described the harrowing moments: 'After dinner, we had gone to sleep when we suddenly heard a loud crashing sound. When we rushed out, there was chaos everywhere. I jumped from the first floor to save my life.'

Neha Singh, who has been searching for her husband Ranjeet Singh since the collapse, said he had gone downstairs minutes before the building fell. 'His phone is ringing, but he is not answering,' she said. Another survivor, Sangeeta Prajapati, said she was in the parking area when she heard cracking sounds and suffered injuries while fleeing. Abhay Kumar Yadav recalled jumping from the first floor and fracturing his leg before local residents brought a ladder to help others climb down safely.

Rescue Operations Ongoing

The collapse triggered a large-scale rescue effort involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local authorities, and volunteers. According to the NDRF, the death toll reached nine after additional bodies were recovered from the rubble. Rescue operations remain ongoing, with officials expressing concern that more people may still be trapped beneath the debris.

A Familiar Pattern of Neglect

This incident is part of a troubling pattern of building collapses in Maharashtra involving structures that had been declared unsafe but were still occupied. The fact that repair work was actively underway on a condemned building's load-bearing pillars at the time of collapse raises serious questions about municipal oversight and enforcement. With nine lives lost and rescue operations continuing, the accountability process has only just begun.