Daijiworld Media Network - Ballari (SP)

Ballari, Jan 11: In a catastrophe which hit Kelageri Kote in Kottur town in Kudligi taluk in the district at around 2.15 am on Saturday January 10, six from family died after the roof of their house came crashing down.

Manjamma (35), Hanumamanthamma (65), Nethra (12), Thanu (5), Huligemma (3), and Khushi (2), lost their lives when in deep sleep in this incident. Vasanthamma, who had slept with a 15-days-old child, and her husband, Fakirappa, who was sleeping outside the house because of lack of space, survived miraculously.

Vasanthamma had delivered a baby 15 days back. To care of her, her mother, Hanumanthamma, sister, Manjamma, and her daughter, Nethra, had come from Arasikere. Thanu, Huligemma, and Khushi, children of Fakirappa and Hanumanthamma couple, had slept in an enclosure together. Vasanthamma and her child, both of whom were sleeping on a small cot, were saved because of a steel almirah standing by their side.

The house having mud walls was built about a century ago. As soon as particles of the roof started raining on her, Vasanthamma called out to her husband. However, by then, damage had been done, and six people had been buried under the debris. Efforts were made to extricate them with the help of neighbours. Fire brigade personnel, who arrived later, completed the operation of retrieving the six bodies.

District in-charge minister, P T Parameshwar Naik, MP, Sriramulu, Hagaribommanahalli MLA, Krishnamurthy, district deputy commissioner, Sameer Shukla, Kudligi tahsildar, Krishnamurthy, deputy superintendent of police, Anupama Shenoy, were among those who visited the family and shared their grief.

Bheema Naik handed over an assistance of Rs 50,000 to the family on the spot. As sanctioned by the chief minister, cheque representing compensation at the rate of one lac rupees per head was handed over to the family on Saturday itself.