4 staying for ‘kar sewa’ die in gurdwara building collapse

Raj Sadosh
Abohar, November 18

Four devotees staying in a Hanumangarh gurdwara for ‘kar sewa’ were killed and two others seriously injured as a part of the under-construction building collapsed this morning.

People from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan come here to take part in the ‘kar sewa’, the management said. Residents of Dhani Saharan, about 4 km from Nohar town on Sahwa road in Hanumangarh, said the construction of the community kitchen building at the gurdwara had been going on for the past three years.

The work on the three-storeyed building had been completed, and only the dome was to be constructed. Residents of the neighbouring dhani (cluster of houses) woke up to a thunderous sound as a part of the building collapsed around 2.30 am. At least six devotees were in the room that collapsed.

Hundreds of people immediately launched rescue and relief operations that were later supervised by SDM Sayed Shiraz Ali Zaidi and DSP Attar Singh Poonia.

Nohar police station incharge Ishwer Singh said a civil defence and disaster management team also reached from Hanumangarh. Four JCB machines were deployed to remove the debris. Around 7.30 am, all victims were extricated, but two of them had already died. Two others died while being taken to the Civil Hospital.

The deceased were identified as Mohinder Singh (65) of Ellenabad, Avtar Singh (27) of Mamera village and Jagga Singh (28) and Jagtar Singh (27) of Thandewala village in Raisinghnagar. Balwinder Singh and Darbara Singh are battling for life.

The district administration has ordered an inquiry into the incident.