Jalandhar:
An 18-year-old school dropout from Bihar today became another miracle survivor of the Sunday's factory building collapse in Jalandhar, even as the death toll climbed to 18.
Nitesh, who was working in the carpet factory to support himself and his family, was pulled out from the rubble 73 hours after the accident took place.
Ten bodies have been retrieved from the debris so far while eight more bodies can be seen trapped under the rubble, District Magistrate Priyank Bharti said.
The eight bodies are yet to be extricated, he added.
An official of the National Disaster Response Force said that it may take two more days to clear the rubble.
Of the 62 persons rescued so far, over 50 injured have already been discharged after medical aid. The remaining are still admitted at the Sadar Hospital.
The three-storey building collapsed at around midnight on Sunday in Focal Point area in Jalandhar.
Meanwhile, a local court today extended the police remand of the factory owner, Sheetal Vij, for four more days.
A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder has been registered against the factory owner, who was arrested on Monday.
The state government has announced a compensation of Rs two lakh each to the kin of the deceased. It also announced a compensation of Rs 65,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 45,000 each to injured persons.