The death toll in the tragic collapse of a five-storey building in central Mumbai's Mahim area rose to five on Tuesday.
The victims have been identified as Mhaisani Baatliwala (75), Halima Sheikh (50), Mobin Lakha (18) and Tahira Ghulam Hussain Merchant. The authorities are yet to acertain the identitity of the fifth victim.
At least seven people were injured in the building collapse on Monday, a day after heavy rains lashed the city. The injured have been shifted to Bhabha Hospital in suburban Bandra, KEM and to the Sion Hospital.
Around 10 to 12 people, mostly children and senior citizens, are feared to have been trapped under the rubbles. Among those trapped includes the family of noted criminal lawyer Rizwan Merchant, who represented Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt when he surrendered before the court in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blast case.
"Sanjay Dutt's lawyer Rizwan Merchant's wife, son and mother are trapped in the building collapse," said Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar, according to a news channel.
As many as 60 fire brigade officials and three Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) teams have arrived at the spot to help in rescue operations. The National Disaster Response Force has also been pressed into service to rescue the trapped people.
It is not clear as to what caused the Altaf Manzil building, which is located near the famous Mahim dargah or shrine on Mumbai's Cadell Road, to collapse. According to Shelar, some construction work which was going in the basement might have weakened the building structure.
The building reportedly had a Maruti car showroom on its ground floor. Cars parked at the showroom were crushed by the debris.
The tragic accident happened just two months after a seven-storey illegal building collapsed in Mumbra claiming 74 lives.
