MADURAI: A head constable was crushed to death and his colleague sustained injuries after a portion of a dilapidated building collapsed over them while they were standing below the building during a night duty, in Vilakuthoon of Madurai.
The deceased person was C Saravanan (44) attached with Vilakuthoon police station (law and order). The injured head constable K Kannan (48) also from the same station is under treatment at a private hospital in Madurai.
The incident happened when the two policemen were standing below a dilapidated century old building in East Veli Street. Before they stood in the spot, they had dispersed the crowd including people gathered for drinking tea. In an unfortunate incident, the portion of the first floor of the building collapsed over them in which Saravanan died in the spot. Kannan was rushed to private hospital with head injury. The police sources said the building owned by one Mohammed. Nagashankar and Subramani ran a pesticide shop in the ground floor and no one was using the first floor of the building.
City Commissioner of Police Prem Anand Sinha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Thangadurai inspected the spot.
Collector Dr S Aneesh Shekar inspected the spot and ordered to demolish the dilapidated buildings on a war footing. Corporation Commissioner KP Karthikeyan said they have already issued notices for the dilapidated building in the city limits to be demolished.
A case would be booked against the owner and shop keepers in Vilakuthoon police station added the sources. Moreover, DGP (HoPF) Dr C Sylendra Babu is likely to pay last respect for Saravanan.
Chief Minister MK Stalin announced solatium of Rs.25 lakh for Saravanan's family and Rs.10 lakh for Kannan.