BENGALURU: Subhash (26) and Jnana Darshan (27), who were two of the three who died in the Seegehalli warehouse accident on December 13, wanted to become athletes, and had set their sights on joining either the armed services or the police.
They had come to Bengaluru to make some money while pursuing their interest in kabaddi and athletics, before attempting the exams for the services. They arrived from Odisha and Holisol Logistic, which owns the warehouse, and was set up in 2017. The duo had planned to return to their native in July 2019 and take up the exams, said Gopal Bora, a relative of Subhash, on Friday.
Bora was emotional as he spoke to TNIE in front of the seized warehouse in Whitefield, where tonnes of metal racks collapsed on employees on Thursday afternoon, killing three and injuring five. The bodies of Darshan and Subhash were taken to Odisha after the postmortem, while the last rites for the third deceased — Farooq — were performed in city.
Security beefed at warehouse
A team of fire experts had visited the spot around 11.30 on Friday, and recorded every corner of the warehouse. Later, they prepared a report saying the main reason behind the incident was the lack of safety measures. They also said that stacking massive iron racks without any support from the ground while being loaded with heavy crates and cardboard boxes had caused the mishap.
Several police personnel were deployed near the warehouse to prevent stone pelting or setting fire to the warehouse by angry relatives of the deceased. A senior police officer said security deployment near the warehouse would continue for another two days to monitor the situation.
Power was disconnected in the area following the incident, as the Whitefield Sports Centre, which is adjacent to warehouse, had no electricity, and was closed. Police officers had a tough time on Thursday night, as the open ground they were deployed at, was full of mosquitoes, and they feared contracting dengue and malaria.
OWNER ISSUED SUMMONS
Police have issued a notice to the Delhi-based owner of the warehouse, Rahut Dongal, to appear before the investigating officer for questioning. Dongal is yet to arrive in Bengaluru. He had taken the land on lease from a local landowner Manjunath, who has absconded. The business head and site in-charge of the warehouse, Ajay and Amanullah, respectively, have been remanded in judicial custody.
WAREHOUSE DESOLATE
The day after the incident, the warehouse was deserted barring police personnel and the lone security guard. Prashanth, the security guard, who has been with the company since it started last year, said this was the first time he had seen the warehouse not buzzing with activity.