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Hyd building collapse: Death toll climbs to 11

Hyderabad: Eleven people were killed while two others were rescued after an under-construction building collapsed at Nanakramguda in Cyberabad zone, a Telangana minister said here today.

State Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao, who supervised the rescue operations at the site of the incident, said only two persons - a mother and her child from Chhattisgarh -could be saved.

"We could save two of the 13 people who were trapped in debris in the six-storey building collapse. Unfortunately, the remaining 11 lost their lives. It is a painful incident.We extend our sympathies to the families of the deceased on behalf of state government," he told reporters.

The building, in whose construction violations of rules have allegedly been found, came crashing down around 9 PM on Thursday. Rescue workers, including personnel of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), struggled hard till all the bodies were recovered and the operation is over now.

Most of the the deceased persons were workers hailing from north coastal region of Andhra Pradesh, who lived in the cellar of the under-construction building.

Rama Rao said five ambulances have been arranged to transport the bodies to their native places. An ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh would be given to the next of kin of the deceased by the Telangana government.

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin said post mortem has been completed on the 11 bodies.

Rama Rao said the builder has been arrested and that tough action would be taken against the guilty in the incident. The state government has already suspended two GHMC officials over the incident.

An inquiry committee has been set up under Municipal Administration Secretary Navin Mittal and the report would be obtained in 15 days, he said.

"Nobody, either builder or GHMC officials, would be spared. We will show this as an example how tough action would be taken for violation of rules," the minister said.

The Andhra Pradesh government has also announced compensation to the victims in the tragedy, an MLA from the state, who visited the site, said.

AP Housing Minister K Mrinalini visited the spot yesterday.