Mumbai: Man, 93, & wife, 87, die in ceiling crash at Mulund

MUMBAI: Two senior citizens died after a portion of a ceiling collapsed in a ground-plus-2-storey building at Mulund (East). Officials said they have been identified as Devshankar Shukla (93) and wife Arkhiben Shukla (87). Both were rushed to the nearby Ashirwad Critical Care Hospital where they were declared dead on arrival.
The tragedy occurred around 7:45pm on Monday at Moti Chhaya building in Nane Pada, Mulund. "It is a ground-plus-2-storey private structure and around 20-25 years old. It was already issued a notice under Section 351 of Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act by T-Ward for unauthorised construction," an official said. "A notice under Section 351 is like a showcause notice, asking the owner or occupier to show permissions for any construction carried out," the official said.
The incident was designated as a Level 1 disaster.
Local BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha said, "This was part of a gaothan settlement. Most structures are built illegally... without proper permissions. The BMC claims to have issued a notice but it should have ensured the occupants were evicted," he said. Former BJP corporator Prabhakar Shinde said, "The BMC issued a notice only this July. Five other families in the building were tenants. The elderly couple lived alone and some relatives sent them food twice a day." The building was sold in 2014 and tenants moved in," he said. Navghar police are probing the incident.