A tragic incident unfolded in Punjab’s Mohali district on Saturday evening when a four-storey building collapsed, leaving at least two people dead and several others trapped under the debris for over 17 hours.

The deceased include 20-year-old Drishti Verma from Theog in Himachal Pradesh and Abhishek from Ambala, Haryana. Drishti was pulled from the rubble in critical condition and rushed to Sohana Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. Abhishek's body was recovered earlier today.

Rescue teams, including personnel from the Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), are working tirelessly at the site. Officials report that approximately 60% of the debris has been cleared so far.

Preliminary Investigation and Legal Action

Initial investigations suggest that unauthorized excavation work on an adjacent plot may have triggered the collapse. According to senior police officer Deepak Pareek, the building owners, Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh, were allegedly conducting excavation without the necessary permissions. A case has been registered against them under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

CM Bhagwant Mann Responds

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been closely monitoring the situation and expressed his grief over the incident in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible and urged people to cooperate with rescue teams.

“Sad news has come from Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali), where a multi-storey building has collapsed. Rescue teams are on-site, and I am in constant touch with the administration. We pray there is no further loss of life,” Mr. Mann stated.

Helpline Issued

Authorities have set up a helpline number—0172-2219506—for information and assistance related to the incident.

Rescue operations are ongoing, and officials remain hopeful of finding more survivors as they continue clearing the debris.