Two die in UP cold storage roof collapse, 10 rescued
Sambhal (UP), Mar 16: Two people were killed and some others were feared trapped under the rubble when the roof of a cold storage building collapsed in Chandausi here on Thursday, a senior police officer said.
Till evening, 10 people had been rescued, Deputy Inspector General of Police Salabh Mathur said. Rescue workers were still working to bring others to safety.
District Magistrate Manish Bansal said personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and district administration are carrying out relief and rescue operations.
Superintendent of Police Chakresh Mishra had earlier said 15-20 people were feared trapped under the rubble.
The DIG said details of those who died are being collected.
SDM Chandausi, Ramkesh Dhama, said the roof of AR cold storage on Islam Nagar Road in Mai village collapsed .
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asked officials to carry out immediate relief and rescue work.
"In view of the accident in the cold storage in Chandausi district of Sambhal, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the district administration officials, SDRF and NDRF teams to conduct immediate relief and rescue work by reaching the spot," the CM Office tweeted.
Chief Medical Officer Tarannum Raza told PTI that 15-20 ambulances and over half a dozen doctors are at the spot to help the injured. Oxygen cylinders have also been arranged.
Around six excavators have been pressed into service to clear the debris, officials said.
Sambhal is around 155 km from Delhi and over 350 km from Lucknow, the state capital.
The DIG said that some still trapped inside are alerting the rescuers by shouting.
Due to the presence of Ammonia gas cylinders in the cold storage, extra precaution is being taken while carrying out rescue work, the DIG said.
Additional lights have been arranged for carrying the operation which would continue till late night, he said.
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FIRs for wrong-side driving only in 'serious' cases: Delhi Traffic Police
New Delhi (PTI): The registration of FIRs against motorists for wrong-side driving will be a 'selective' measure rather than a blanket policy, with criminal action reserved as a last resort, a senior official with the Delhi Traffic Police said on Wednesday.
Police have registered at least eight FIRs for wrong-side driving. The officer said the traffic police's primary approach would continue to focus on organising awareness drives and issuing challans and notices for violations.
He said that FIRs would be filed only in instances where the violation poses a life-threatening risk or involves repeat offenders.
"The FIR will largely depend on the nature of the offence. If it is life-threatening or has the potential to cause a serious accident, criminal action may be initiated," the officer said.
He added that repeat violations would be a key factor in the decision.
Police will also assess whether the violation occurred due to a genuine mistake, such as a lack of signage or unclear road directions, before deciding on an FIR, the officer said.
Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Neeraj Thakur told PTI the move aims to deter reckless behaviour on roads without criminalising minor or routine infractions.
He said that police would exercise discretion in enforcement, particularly where inadequate signage or a lack of clear directions led to a genuine mistake.
The shift towards stricter enforcement began in the last week of December to curb dangerous driving and reduce road accidents. This comes after the recent registration of FIRs for wrong-side driving under section 281 (rash driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act. This marks a first for the national capital.
Police clarified that these offences are bailable and the accused were released on bail after arrest.
The first FIR was filed on January 3 at Delhi Cantt police station against Aman, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur, for allegedly driving his car at high speed on the wrong side near the Hanuman Mandir red light.
The case was registered under Section 281 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, police said, adding that the accused was arrested and later released on bail.
Two subsequent FIRs were filed on January 5 at Kapashera and Vasant Kunj South police stations against Ankit Gaur, who was riding a motorcycle, and Sanij Kumar, who was driving a car, respectively.
The next five FIRs were registered on January 6 at Chanakyapuri police station against a car driver, at Vasant Kunj South against another car driver, at Kishangarh against a scooter rider, at Tughlaq Road against a car driver and at Mandir Marg against an auto-rickshaw driver.
Traffic police data shows a rise in enforcement, with challans increasing to 1,44,490 in 2025 from 1,04,720 in 2024, while the number of notices issued dropped to 1,27,395 from 1,78,448 in 2024.
While such violations were previously handled through fines and licence suspensions, officials said the rise in accidents on arterial roads during peak hours necessitated this revised, more stringent approach.
