Five more people have been arrested in connection with the building collapse in Virar East in Maharashtra's Palghar district, in which 17 people lost their lives earlier this week, an official said on Saturday (August 30, 2025). The probe into the tragedy has been handed over to the crime branch of the Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar police.
Also Read | Virar Building Collapse: PM Modi Condoles Loss of Lives in Tragedy, Assure Assistance to Victims.
The unauthorised four-storey Ramabai Apartment collapsed onto an adjacent vacant tenement at Vijay Nagar in Virar area of Palghar, adjoining Mumbai, around 12.05 a.m. on Wednesday. At least 17 people, including two children, were killed in the incident.
Senior inspector Shahuraj Ranavre said the crime branch has arrested two women, who owned the land on which the structure was built, and their husbands, who collected rent from the residents. The police had initially arrested the main accused, Neetal Sane, a builder and developer. With this, five people have been arrested in the case.
Maharashtra Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Friday said that residents of the affected building will be provided temporary accommodation by MHADA.