The tilting building in NGO Colony in Kamalanagar area of Mahalakshmi Layout, which the BBMP subsequently demolished, is under litigation as its owner had defaulted on the bank loan.
Basaveshwaranagar police said the building belonged to a woman named Rajeshwari, who availed a bank loan to construct the house.
“Due to non-payment of the loan, the bank served repeated notices to residents to vacate the building and forfeit the property,” a police official said.
Six families occupied the three-storey building, while three other families lived in the adjoining two-storey building. Tenants at the building had refused to move out demanding a return of their advance money from Rajeshwari.
Excise Minister Gopalaiah said if the woman had returned the money, the residents would have moved out. “We will look into the issue later as our priority now is to raze the tilted structure safely,” he said.
The tenants decided against vacating for fear of losing their advance or lease money permanently. “On knowing that the building would collapse, we forcibly evicted the residents,” a senior police officer said.
Police did not register a complaint or a case against the house owner saying the building’s collapse had been triggered by a natural calamity.
Rajeshwari has been absconding for the past six months after the banked served her notice over the unpaid loan, the officer said.
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