5-year-old girl dies in Chennai wall collapse, two earthmover operators held

The family was sleeping on the pavement when the earthmover hit the wall near them.
5-year-old girl dies in Chennai wall collapse, two earthmover operators held
5-year-old girl dies in Chennai wall collapse, two earthmover operators held
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In a tragic accident, a 5-year-old child from Chennai’s Kundrathur area died after a wall collapsed on her. According to reports, Masani was sleeping along with her family members on a pavement when the wall near them collapsed. 

An earthmover from a construction site nearby reportedly hit the wall, causing it to collapse over the family. City police have arrested two earthmover operators. The incident occurred at around 2: 30 am on Sunday.

According to a report in The Hindu, the family was sleeping inside a hut on Porur Main Road when the five-foot compound wall collapsed on Sunday. The family of Mohan, aged 28, and Pushpa, aged 25, and their daughter Masani belong to the gypsy community. With the city experiencing rains over the last week, police suspect that this may have weakened the wall. Pushpa too sustained injuries to her leg. 

According to a report in The New Indian Express, the earthmover belonged to the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) and had been undertaken on contract. The earthmover was reportedly laying an "underground pipeline to transfer treated sewage from Koyambedu to Hyundai’s plant in Sriperumbudur." The earthmover was closing up a pit which had been laid with pipes when it reportedly hit the wall. 

According to a report in the Times of India, Masani and Pushpa were trapped under the debris when the wall came crashing down on them. The 5-year-old girl was rushed to the Chromepet government hospital, however, she was declared brought dead. Her mother Pushpa is receiving treatment for her injuries. 

The city police have arrested two men, Iyappan and Uthiravel, who operated the earthmover. They have been remanded to judicial custody while Masani's body was sent for autopsy. Police told The Hindu that they are on the lookout for the contractors.

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