A multi-agency rescue effort is underway after a building collapsed in Mohali
At least two persons, including a 20-year-old woman from Himachal Pradesh, have been killed after a four-storey building collapsed in Punjab's Mohali district on Saturday evening.
One of the victims has been identified as Drishti Verma from Theog, who was rescued from the rubble in critical condition last night and was rushed to Sohana Hospital but died of her injuries.
This morning, the body of a man -- identified as Abhishek from Haryana's Ambala -- was recovered.
Several others are said to have been trapped in the rubble for more than 17 hours with teams of the Indian Army and National Disaster Response Team (NDRF) engaged in the rescue operation.
An official said about 60 per cent of the debris has been cleared.
"In the primary investigation, it has come to fore that the owner of the building was carrying out excavation in the adjacent plot without any permission," senior police officer Deepak Pareek told reporters.
He said they have filed a case against the building owners -- Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh - under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with the punishment for culpable homicide that doesn't amount to murder.
Officials said Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been monitoring the situation over the phone.
In a post on X, Mr Mann expressed his sorrow at the incident.
"Sad news has been received that a multistorey building near Sohana in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) has collapsed. The entire administration and other rescue teams have been deployed at the spot. I am in constant touch with the administration," he said.
"We pray that there is no loss of life, we will also take action against the culprits. Appeal to the people to cooperate with the administration," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader added.
Officials have also released a helpline number -- 0172-2219506.