Bengaluru: Five-year-old drowns after falling into pit of under-construction building

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 24 (ANI): A five-year-old boy died after falling into a shaft opened for the installation of a lift in an under-construction building in Kadugodi on Thursday, according to the Bengaluru police.
Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Sunil, who was the owner and caretaker of the building, following the complaint filed by the minor's mother.
The five-year-old deceased, identified as Suhas Gowad, died after he fell into the open pit around 9 am. The child was playing with his friends near the under-construction building. A five-foot-deep pit was dug to accommodate a lift shaft that caused the death of the minor.
The boy while playing with his friends fell in the five-foot-deep shaft that was filled with water after heavy rains battered the city and drowned. It was alleged that the owner was negligent in following safety measures around the pit.
After the incident, friends of the deceased rushed to inform the locals, where people rushed to rescue the boy and took him to the hospital. However, the boy was pronounced dead, the police said.
The police further said that when the locals protested, a barrier was made so that proper safety measures were followed. A local stated that if precautionary measures had been taken earlier, the death would not have happened.
According to the Bengaluru police, a case of negligence has been registered against Sunil, the owner and caretaker of the under-construction building.
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inspected the site of the building collapse at Huramavu Agara area of Bengaluru. According to official sources, the collapse on Tuesday had claimed the lives of 8 people, and injured 6 others.
The Karnakata CM further announced Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased, while ex-gratia for the injured will be given after seeing them in the hospital.
"Those hospitalized, expenditure will be taken care by the govt. Moreover, 5 Lakh ex-gratia is to be given by the government, ex-gratia for injured will be announced after seeing them at the hospital," he said while speaking to reporters at the site.
He also said that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) has been directed to stop all illegal constructions in the city. (ANI)