In connection with the incident in which six people were killed and six others injured after a fourth-floor concrete slab collapsed to the ground, the Kolsewadi police have arrested a 40-year-old man whose room was undergoing renovation work at the time.
The police said the arrested accused has been identified as Krishana Lalchandra Chaursiya, who lived with his family on the fourth floor. He had recently vacated the room for repairs and moved to another location.
An FIR has been registered under Sections 105 and 125(A)(B) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, Section 44 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, and Section 2(2) of the Unified Development Control Promotion Regulation (UDCPR).
Kalyanji Ghete, ACP of the Kalyan Division, said, "The accused was arrested on Tuesday night after the incident. He was produced in court and remanded to police custody for further investigation. We are carrying out a thorough probe, and if anyone else is found responsible, legal action will be taken against them. The preliminary enquiry has shown that Chaursiya did not take the necessary permissions from the society or the concerned authorities."
The complaint was filed by Sachin Tamkhede, a ward officer of KDMC. Police said the forensic team visited the Saptshrungi Co-operative Housing Society and collected samples — including sand, soil, tiles, bricks, and cement — which have been sent to the forensic laboratory in Mumbai to determine whether substandard materials were used.
KDMC officials stated that residents of 52 rooms — some of whom are tenants — were evacuated after the slab collapse. The displaced residents have been temporarily relocated to Nutan Vidyalay in Kalyan East. KDMC has arranged for breakfast and meals for them.
An eyewitness resident said, “I was sitting outside the house with a neighbor when I heard a loud thud. I didn’t know what it was, but I quickly stepped out of the building and saw dust everywhere. Some people were trapped.”
Other residents claimed that no warning or notice had been issued by KDMC. “If we had been informed that the building was dangerous, we wouldn’t have stayed,” said one resident, adding that they are demanding permanent rehabilitation from KDMC, as they currently lack the means to relocate on their own.
Among the deceased were Sushila Narayan Gujar and her two-year-old great-grandson Namashvi Shelar, who lived on the first floor. Sharvil Shelar, who was visiting, was injured. On the second floor, Sunita Sahu, her mother Pramila, and her sister Sujata — who had come to visit — also died. Two others, Vinayak and Shraddha, sustained injuries and were admitted to the hospital.
Nikhil Kharat, who got married just last month on April 22, lived with his wife on the ground floor. He said, “I was in the room, and my wife had left for work. I was feeling sleepy and scrolling on my phone when the slab collapsed, trapping me near the door. A person saw me and helped me escape. If I had fallen asleep, I wouldn’t have survived. My mobile phone saved my life.”
