Kozhikode (Kerala), February 23 Four people died after a 50-meter-long concrete slab at a building owned by the Kozhikode Corporation collapsed on workers carrying heavy loads at Valiyangadi here on Monday, police officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Jabbar, Ashraf, Basheer, and Vinod, who were working as loaders at the two-story building owned by the Kozhikode Corporation in Valiyangadi.
According to police, Jabbar, Ashraf, and Basheer died shortly after being taken to the hospital.
Vinod died at the hospital later in the day.
Police said another person, identified as Abdul Jaleel, sustained serious injuries and was admitted to the hospital.
Police said the incident occurred at noon when a 50-meter-long concrete slab of a sunshade collapsed on the workers while they were resting in front of a closed shop after loading work.
Police and the Kozhikode Corporation have launched an investigation into the incident.
Kozhikode Town police have registered a case for unnatural death in 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 unfit for operation because it had been constructed over 70 years ago.
"The previous council had declared the building unfit and decided to demolish it. But there were still shops and warehouses operating in the building," the 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 by the police from the Corporation office.
Later, the Congress and the Youth League, affiliated with the Muslim League, held separate protest marches to the Kozhikode Corporation office.
Police registered separate cases against the protesters.