Kozhikode (Kerala), February 23 Three people died after a 50-meter-long concrete slab at a building owned by the Kozhikode Corporation collapsed on loading workers in Valiyangadi on Monday, police officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Jabbar, Ashraf, and Basheer, who were working as loaders at the two-story building owned by the Kozhikode Corporation in Valiyangadi.
Police said that two more people were injured in the incident.
Police said the incident occurred between 11:30 am and 12 pm when a 50-meter-long concrete slab collapsed on the workers while they were resting in front of a closed shop after completing their loading work.
Although the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, three of them succumbed to their injuries, police said.
Police and the Kozhikode Corporation have launched an investigation into the incident.
Soon after the incident, BJP councillors staged a protest at the Kozhikode Corporation office and the Mayor’s office.
Opposition parties alleged that the building, owned by the LDF-ruled Kozhikode Corporation, was unsafe for operation as it had been constructed over seven decades ago.
"The previous council had declared the building unsafe and decided to demolish it. However, there were still shops and warehouses operating within the building," BJP councillors said, alleging that the deaths occurred due to the negligence of the Corporation.
They demanded that a case of culpable homicide be registered against Mayor O Sadasivan.
The protesting councillors were later removed from the Corporation office by the police.
