In an unprecedented accident, a man lost his life after falling through an open hole inside a shopping complex in Kozhikode city. Malappuram resident Hydrose Haji fell from the first floor of Century Building -- a shopping complex near the Mofussil bus stand in the city -- through the open hole in front of one of the shops, and fell down to the parking area on the ground floor. Though he was rushed to a private hospital in the region, he soon succumbed. Hydrose was a retailer who ran a shop in the building.
In the recently-surfaced CCTV visuals of the accident, Hydrose can be seen stepping out from inside a shop, and a second after he took a step towards the left, he was seen falling down. The hole, reportedly made by the building owner to easily transfer goods to the shops, was kept open. In the visuals, it could also be seen that it opened straight to the parking lot on the ground floor. No other safety measures were in place.
Following the incident, officials of the Kozhikode Corporation came out stating that the building owner had not received permission for such a construction. “Such a construction was done without our permission. We don’t give permission for these constructions without any safety precautions. We will go forward with action,” Aishwarya, Assistant Engineer of the Corporation, told the media.
Meanwhile, Kasaba Police Station in Kozhikode has registered a case of unnatural death in regard to the incident. Kasaba police officials told TNM that, after inquiry, a case might be booked against the builder.
Last December, a four-year-old boy in Kerala’s Kannur had died after falling into a hole which was dug for the construction of a lift. Reportedly, the incident happened in his mother’s office and he fell into the hole while playing.
Watch video of the accident in Kozhikode