Woman killed, several injured after two houses collapse in Varanasi

Varanasi (UP), Aug 6 (PTI) A 43-year-old woman was killed and nine people, including a woman police constable, were injured after two old houses in the Khoya Gali Chowk near the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi collapsed early on Tuesday, officials said.

Divisional commissioner Kaushal Raj Sharma said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who represents Varanasi in the Lok Sabha, was informed of the situation.

“Two houses collapsed. One belonged to a Mr Gupta in which there were nine people. The other house belonged to one Mr Yadav. Occupants of the second house came out easily while seven people from the first house had to be brought out of the debris,” Sharma said.

Of the seven people brought out from the rubble, one woman died, he said.

A woman police constable suffered injuries on her jaw, he added.

Officials said Premlata Gupta was brought out from the rubble and taken to a hospital where doctors declared her dead.

The rescue operation is complete and work is underway to remove the debris, Sharma said.

Efforts are underway to restore water and electricity supply to the area.

The official said the second and the third floors of the houses, which seemed to be more than 70 years old, collapsed.

The gate of the house belonging to Yadav will be dismantled to remove the debris, he said.

“These houses are in old localities and there was a trend of building multiple houses on one wall. The lower floors are still intact,” he said.

Asked by reporters about claims that the owner of one house had submitted an application to the Kashi Vishwanath (temple) CEO for their house to be acquired for the temple corridor project, Sharma said construction started five years ago and was completed two-and-a-half years ago.

After that, no new property is being purchased, he said.

“All the owners whose houses are located outside the temple can repair them. They technically do not need any permission or a no-objection from the temple. It was cleared earlier and will be clarified again that the temple administration has no control over properties outside (it),” Sharma said.

The divisional commissioner also said a misconception had spread over the past year that the Varanasi Development Authority would stop property repairs.

“I want to clarify that the people from the authority will stop repairs only if the blueprint is changed,” Sharma said.

“If someone says we are not repairing the house because the temple administration will buy it, is that reasonable?” he later told PTI.

Sharma said a heavy object had fallen on the neck of the woman who died. Compensation will be provided to her family, according to the established law.

In a statement, Sharma said, “The prime minister sought information on the tragic incident over the phone. He was given detailed information about the rescue operation conducted by the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), fire (department), police, administration and the treatment of the injured.”

Modi also sought information about the people living in the houses and expressed his condolences to the family of the woman who died. He issued instructions to provide the best possible treatment to all the injured people free of cost.

Police commissioner Mohit Agarwal said the injured were taken to the district hospital for treatment.

“A woman constable was injured and she was sent to the Banaras Hindu University trauma centre. Doctors said she was out of danger,” he said.