Muradnagar roof collapse case: The main accused in the Muradnagar roof collapse case has been arrested by the police. Ajay Tyagi, the contractor who constructed the crematorium roof that collapsed on Sunday, was arrested for the incident that claimed 24 lives and injured 17. The police had announced a bounty of Rs 25,000 for any information on Tyagi. So far, four people have been arrested including an engineer and a supervisor under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The other three persons who have been arrested are Muradnagar executive officer Niharika Singh, junior engineer Chandra Pal and supervisor Ashis. They have been booked under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt to any person by doing any act rashly or negligently as to endanger human lives), 338 (causing grievous hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) etc.
On Sunday, the roof had collapsed at the Ukhlarsi cremation ground when the last rites of a person were being conducted. About 50-60 people were present at the ground of which a number of persons got trapped when the roof fell. Following the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief and announced Rs 2 lakh as financial compensation for the families of the victim.
However, the families of the victims on Monday blocked the Delhi-Meerut highway by placing two bodies on the road to press for their demand for higher compensation. They lifted the blockade after officials agreed for Rs 10 lakh compensation and a government job for each victim’s family. SP (Rural) Iraj Raja said Niharika Singh, Chandra Pal and Ashish were arrested as they were involved in the tendering process for building the structure that collapsed on Sunday.
The construction work for the shelter at the crematorium, estimated to cost around Rs 55 crore, was started two months ago and it was opened to the public nearly 15 days ago, PTI reported citing officials.
