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Residents blame lack of safety measures

Last Updated 04 June 2012, 19:54 IST

Lack of safety measures at the demolition site claimed the life of seven-year-old Lokesh. Residents of Subbayyanapalya alleged that the demolition being carried out in an unplanned way without basic security measures caused the death of the boy.

“The house was abandoned for 10 years. It is said that the property has more than five owners who stay in different places. We don’t even know who these people are, only that they are big shots,” said Karthik, a local businessman.

“The demolition work was started recently. They did not even fence off the part of the house facing the road. The tragedy would have been averted had they done so,” he added.

Another local shopkeeper, Natesh, recalled watching the accident happen.

“I was in the shop and around five persons –– one of them believed to be the owner of the property –– were having tea when Lokesh came to buy the icecream. All five are eye witnesses to the tragedy. They immediately fled once Lokesh was buried under the debris. They did not even come to his rescue. We were seeing them for the first time,” he said.

According to Banaswadi police, a person called Jagannath had purchased the property recently. “He wanted to construct a new structure and therefore wanted the old structure demolished. He is absconding after the incident. The JCB machine operator is also absconding. The police have booked Jagannath and the driver under section 304A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code,” a police sub-inspector probing the matter, said.

Many locals sympathised with the victim’s aunt, Sarojamma. “Lokesh was the darling of the area as he was an orphan. Sarojamma struggled hard to bring him up. She worked in different houses and was keen on ensuring him a good education,” they said.

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(Published 04 June 2012, 19:54 IST)

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