District Administration finally completed the 23-hour-long constant rescue operation with the help of NDRF and Army as key players while the Police, Municipal Corporation and Health Department at Mohali (Sohana) building collapse site at 4:30 pm today. Divulging the details, the Officiating Deputy Commissioner Viraj S Tidke along with SSP Deepak Pareek and MC Commissioner T Benith said that the giant operation to evacuate the trapped persons whose exact number was not ascertained initially, got a major boost when a critically injured female was rescued from the wreckage in the late evening.
After that a whole night operation that was continued till 4:30 pm, it was made clear by the NDRF that there was no more possibility of any person trapped under the debris. Briefing the media after the completion of the rescue operation, Mr Tidke along with SSP Deepak Pareek and MC Commissioner T Benith said that about 600 NDRF, Army and Police Personnel were roped in the operation and he categorically thanked the key players NDRF and Army and applauded the Police, Municipal Corporation, Civil and other departments who worked round the clock to complete the operation timely.
He said that about 140 NDRF team members, 167 from the Army’s 57 Engineers Regiment, over 300 from local police and the rest from allied departments were involved in the operation and everyone delivered his/her responsibility diligently. Informing about the casualties during the mishap, Mr Viraj S Tidke further said that the whole operation has ascertained two deaths, one of Drishti (20) from Himachal and another Abhishek Dhanwal (30) from Ambala.
He said that the debris had been checked by the NDRF thoroughly before declaring the operation completed. During this operation, requisite machinery was provided to the NDRF in addition to what they already had.
He said that a magisterial probe had been ordered in this incident to fix the responsibility. Sub Divisional Magistrate, Mohali Damandeep Kaur has been entrusted with the probe and she has been asked to submit the report within three weeks.
The whole operation was closely monitored by the District Civil and Police Officials till its completion. DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar, ADC (UD) Anmol Singh Dhaliwal, SP Jyoti Yadav Bains remained present during the operation.