8-year-old killed in slab collapse

An eight-year-old boy was killed when a slab of a parapet collapsed on the third-floor common balcony of a building in Kidwai Nagar, Wadala west, Wednesday morning. The building is under renovation and all sides, except the road-facing end where the accident took place, are covered in scaffolding.

The victim, Masoom Arif Khatri, a student of class 3, was leaving his tutor Leena Fernandes' home around 10.30 am when the incident took place. "The contractor was carrying out some drilling work. Suddenly, we heard a crash and rushed outside. There was debris all around. I saw a school bag and started screaming for help," said Fernandes. Neighbours rushed to the spot, lifted the slab and took the child to KEM Hospital but it was too late, she added.

"Masoon lived in a building next to the one where the incident occurred. We have charged BMC contractor R K Madhani under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code," said Balkrishna D Garule, senior inspector, RAK Marg police station.

Despite repeated attempts, F-North ward officer Sanjay Khurade could not be reached for comment.

In September, a 14-year-old boy drowned in a 15-ft deep trench where BMC was carrying out emergency work on a leaking water pipeline. The contractor had allegedly not properly barricaded the area.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/8yearold-killed-in-slab-collapse/1070476/