A second body has been retrieved from the trench at Five Furlong Road in Chennai’s Velachery by the rescue team on Friday, December 8. Yet to be formally identified, the body is believed to be that of R Jayaseelan, an assistant engineer at Greentech Structural Constructions. Jayseelan’s family had alleged that he was forced to come to work at the construction site on December 4, the day Cyclone Michaung was causing heavy rains and winds. Jayaseelan’s wife, who is four months pregnant, has been at the site with the rest of the family, even as rescue operations have been underway. A third person, an unidentified migrant labourer who worked as a security guard at the site, is still missing.
Jayaseelan was believed to have been inside a container-turned-room that served as the office for Greentech employees at the site. On the morning of December 8, the rescue team managed to cut open the container but could not find anyone inside, and the search for Jayaseelan and the security guard continued. As heavy rains caused the earth around the construction site to cave in, the container is believed to have fallen in along with a bus stop nearby and parts of a petrol bunk next to it where 21-year-old Naresh was working.
Earlier on December 8, the first body, that of Naresh, was retrieved from the trench and identified by the family. Families of both Naresh and Jayaseelan have accused KR Fuels and Greentech of forcing them to work in dangerous conditions caused by the onslaught of Cyclone Michaung.
Jayaseelan, who had been working as an assistant engineer with Greentech for the past seven years, got married nine months ago. His wife said that on December 4, the day of the cyclone passing Chennai, his manager called him repeatedly in the early hours of the morning, asking him to turn up at work and relieve the night shift person. After he left for work, she received a call from him at 6.30 am, but there was no contact after that.
The search is continuing to find the third missing person.
The construction of the building was undertaken by Greentech Structural Constructions for Hinduja Leyland. The police are yet to book either of the companies.