Four die in Mysore buildling collapse

Four persons, including two brothers, were killed when the roof of a shop at the 120-year-old Lansdowne building caved in on them on Saturday evening. The building was constructed in 1892.

The dead have been identified as Jnanaprakash, 40, the tenant of the building, his elder brother Anand (43) of Alanahalli, Annapoorna, 23, of Kesare and Lokesh, 40.

Jnanaprakash owned Latha Enterprises, a DTP centre at shop number 17 on the ground floor of the building near KR Circle. Anand, who had a similar business elsewhere, was a regular visitor to his brother’s shop. Annapoorna was a DTP operator at the shop. Lokesh is believed to be a customer.

According to other shopkeepers, the tragedy occurred around 6 pm. The roof of a shop on a first floor shop collapsed and fell on the roof of the DTP shop on the ground floor. The shop on the first floor was closed at the time of the accident.

The dilapidated buidling was further weakened in the recent rain that lashed the city for two days from Thursday.

Seepage of rainwater from a small hole on the first floor is said to be the cause for the incident. The heavy rain on Friday led to inundation of the ground floor. Medical Education Minister S A Ramdas, who is also in charge of Mysore district, announced that a compensation of Rs 1 lakh would be paid to family of each dead person.