Dharwad building collapse: Couple rescued after 70 hours

Dharwad (Karnataka) [India], Mar 22 (ANI): A couple was rescued on Friday after being trapped for 70 hours under the debris of a collapsed under-construction building in Karnataka'sDharwad.
Officials said earlier that 14 people were killed in the incident.
The couple has been identified as Dhakalu and Sangeeta Kokare.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) (Fire and Emergency Services) Sunil Aggarwal told ANI that the condition of the couple is stable.
"Their condition is stable. They have been sent to the hospital. After the final assessment, we will see how to discard the debris," he said.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, along with fire and emergency service personnel, are continuing their rescue efforts. Heavy earth-movers and rescuers with specialised equipment have been deployed for the operation.
Meanwhile, an FIR was registered against five persons on Friday, the fourth day of the Dharwad building collapse.
Basavraj Nigadi, Ravi Sabrad, Mahabaleshwar Puradgudi and Gangappa Shintre, owners of the building, and Vivek Pawar, an engineer, have been named in the FIR, police said.
While the four partners of Renuka Construction surrendered before the police, the engineer was taken into custody from Maharashtra’s Kolhapur, they said.
Deepa Cholan, Deputy Commissioner, Dharwad, told ANI, “A total of 14 people have died. Yesterday, we rescued two people. Three more people are trapped in the debris. We have given oxygen and ORS to them. The SDRF and NDRF teams are conducting the rescue operation.”
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had visited the site on Thursday and told the media that several people were trapped under the debris.
The building, located in Kumareshwar Nagar, collapsed on March 19, following which the Indian Air Force airlifted two teams of NDRF personnel to Karnataka's Hubli from Hindon in Uttar Pradesh to assist in the rescue operation. (ANI)