Mathura multi-storeyed house collapse: Police announce reward for key suspect

Mathura (UP), Jun 17 (PTI) The Mathura police on Tuesday said they have announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for the arrest of the main accused in the collapse of six houses which killed three persons, including two minor girls.

The incident took place on June 15 in the Maya Teela area near Kacchi Sadak under Govind Nagar police station limits. Large-scale soil excavation during the levelling of a plot led to the collapse of several nearby houses.

The district administration said it has provided relief to the affected families, adding that five of the displaced families have been allotted government housing in Vrindavan and were shifted there along with their belongings.

Two girls, Yashoda (6) and Kavya (3) who had come from Gautampada in Vrindavan to visit their grandmother during the summer vacations, were trapped under the debris. A young man named Totaram (38), son of Bajrang, also died in the incident.

Post-mortems were conducted during the day and all three were cremated the same night.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Mathura Shlok Kumar on Tuesday said the main accused, Sunil Gupta alias Chain, has been booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

"Multiple teams have been deployed to arrest the accused. Surveillance and CCTV footage are being used to track his location. A reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced for any information leading to his arrest," he said.

Gupta is suspected to be among some individuals who illegally started the digging work near the multi-storey house using an excavator which led to the tragedy.

Additional District Magistrate Pankaj Kumar Verma said the Revenue Department conducted a survey based on statements from affected residents and prepared a report.

By evening, five families were allotted housing under the District Urban Development Agency (DUDA) near the 100-bed hospital in Vrindavan and were relocated with their belongings, he added. PTI COR KIS KSS KSS