VELLORE: A 70-year-old man riding a bicycle on Vellore Road in Dharapadavedu in Katpadi was killed when parts of a dilapidated building collapsed and fell on him around 10.30am on Tuesday.
The Katpadi police told TNIE that a case was registered under Section 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the BNS against the building owner, A Sohub. They also asked the corporation whether they had previously served a demolition notice to the owner. Vellore Corporation officials did not clarify on the same.
The police said the incident occurred when the victim, A Baskaran from Kilitanpattarai, was heading towards the Chittoor Bus Stand on Tuesday morning. Baskaran is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.
The building, believed to be over 70 years old, houses Sohub's hardware store on the ground floor, whereas the upper floors remain vacant. After the incident, the corporation pasted a demolition notice on the building, instructing the owner to raze the structure within 24 hours or take responsibility for any public hazards that may occur.
A corporation official told TNIE that Sohub is currently absconding. "Initially, he responded over the phone but stopped communicating later. As he did not collect the notice, we pasted it on the building. If ignored further, we plan to demolish the structure after clearing the hardware store," the official said. According to authorities, officials from the Public Works Department also inspected the building, deemed it unstable and asked for immediate demolition.
When asked whether such notice was served earlier to the owner, the corporation official said the local body regularly serves notices to owners of structures that pose safety risks, however, did not clarify details about this specific building.
As per rules, the corporation is responsible for surveying old buildings and issuing notices to owners if the structure is deemed a public safety hazard. If the owner does not respond within a month, the corporation can give an oral warning for a few more days. If the owner still fails to act, the corporation has the authority to demolish the building and recover the costs from the owner, along with imposing a penalty.