HYDERABAD: Among various pictures of destruction that emerged after the city witnessed unprecedented rainfall on Monday, the most heart-wrenching one, perhaps, was of a disabled man trying to protect his son even in death.Rescue workers, who were retrieving bodies after a retaining wall of a building collapsed due in Banjara Hills, found Yadulu (28) holding his 4-month-old son, Joseph, in his hands in a bid to rescue the toddler.
While Yadulu, a disabled man who worked at a hotel to make his ends meet, and his son were killed, as many as 12 families living at Singadi Basthi became homeless after that night. The parapet wall that divides the basthi from the upmarket road no 10 in Banjara Hills, came down crushing the huts of around 100 families. They had been living here for last two decades. Following the incident, they were shifted into a nearby community hall.
“A few minutes after wall collapse, we realised that Yadulu’s wife Meena, along with her daughter (2), had rushed outside, but he and his son were still in house. Before some of us could rush to his rescue, their hut collapsed and the duo was buried,” said Lakshmi, a neighbour. A seven-year-old boy Mahesh, who also lost his house on the ill-fated evening, shared that the tiny hut he used to live in with his parents and three siblings is no more.
Shaikpet mandal revenue officials inspected Singadi Basthi on Tuesday morning and examined the losses. The officials also collected the details of the victims and asked them to produce identifications cards, so as to send to the district collector for issuance of compensation.
SHRC seeks report from GHMC commissioner on wall collapse deaths
Hyderabad:State Human Rights Commission has sought a report from GHMC commissioner by Dec 14 on the wall collapse in Banjara Hills that led to the death of a father-son duo in Singadi Basthi on Monday. Alleging negligence on part of GHMC officials, petition was filed by city-based child rights organisations, Balala Hakkula Sangham, before SHRC. The NGO said in its petition that negligence on part of GHMC led to the incident as no precautionary measures were taken by it, and demanded that criminal cases be registered against officers responsible for the incident. Moreover, `2.50 lakh compensation was meagre, the petitioner said and wanted it enhanced.