Labourer killed as cantilever collapses in P’kula

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 30

A 30-year-old labourer died when a cantilever of a house that was being re-constructed in Sector 12-A here collapsed here this morning.

The victim, Shyam Sunder, a resident of Budanpur, was cleaning the bricks when the cantilever fell on him at the front side of the house.

Assuming that the labourer died on the spot, police officials called up the ambulance one hour after the incident. Instead of rushing him to the General Hospital immediately, the police officials wrapped him in a blanket and kept the body at the spot itself till the time they completed their investigations.

The house belonged to Dharampal. The house was not in a good condition, so its owner was getting it re-constructed.

“Today, old structure was being razed, but the cantilever was yet to be removed. Five labourers were working in different areas of the house,” said Inspector Kamaldeep, SHO of the Sector 14 Police Station.

The contractor, Mannu Ram, had given the work to five labourers.

“The victim was cleaning the bricks exactly below the cantilever when it suddenly collapsed,” said the Inspector.

After hearing the shrieks, passers-by rushed to the spot and pulled the victim out. Due to the heavy weight of the cantilever, it took them 10 minutes to take out the labourer. Later, they informed the police about the incident.

When the Inspector was asked why the victim was taken to the hospital so late even though he might be unconscious, the SHO said: “No, he died at the spot.”

Dr Mankirat, Deputy Chief Medical officer at the General Hospital, said: “Our control room received a call between 11.35 am and 11.40 am.”

Sources said medical staff at the emergency and the policemen also had a heated argument when the latter said the body should be shifted to the mortuary. But the medical staff said he would first take the victim to doctors and let them declare him brought dead.

The labourer hailed from Uttar Pradesh. His family has been informed about the incident.