The accident took place in the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) complex in Dadri, Greater Noida, near the Indian capital. The new building was part of the NTPC's expansion plan.
It was about 1 am when the shuttering and slab fell on the sleeping workers, police said. Security staff first noticed the accident and called police and others for help to rescue the workers.
The injured workers were rushed to the Ghaziabad-based Yashoda hospital, where three of them were declared dead. One of the 20 seriously injured victims, 20-year-old Ashok, is critical.
Those dead were identified as Phool Shah (20), Gulab (22) and Rama Shankar (28). They were all residents of Bihar, said a police official investigating the case. Police said the construction work was being carried out by the Era Construction Company.
Based on complaints from family members of the deceased, a criminal case of negligence has been registered against the construction company. No arrests have been made so far, said Greater Noida Superintendent of Police Surendra Verma. The building is part of the NTPC's plan to add 980 MW power to its existing generation capacity.
