The crane lies on its back over a crushed fence at the edge of the pit on DBR Hospital Road in Tirupati on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar
The Tirupati Municipal Corporation (TMC) has suspended two of its town planning officers over Tuesday’s (September 29, 2026) accident on DBR Hospital Road, where a crane toppled into an excavated pit at a construction site, killing three people and injuring three others.
The preliminary inquiry conducted by TMC Commissioner M. Jayakrishna found that the officials had been negligent in supervising the work site under their purview. The builder had failed to adhere to the setback norms and excavated earth beyond the earmarked portion, the inquiry found, and this was the main reason for the action against the officials.
The crane that toppled into an excavated pit at a construction site on DBR Hospital Road in Tirupati on Tuesday, killing three people.
| Photo Credit:
K.V. Poornachandra Kumar
The crane, deployed to excavate earth from the pit, tilted and capsized into it on Tuesday (September 29, 2026). Rama Rao, 45, from Odisha, site engineer Sandeep Kumar, 40, from Srikakulam, and watchman Gangaiah, 40, died on the spot. Crane operators Shaik Farhan and Naushad, both from Bihar, and worker Murugaiah from Yerpedu were grievously injured and taken to hospital.
Mr. Jayakrishna had said on Tuesday that the contractor had the required permission for the building, and that a case of criminal negligence would be registered against the builder. He has now said a fair and transparent probe would be conducted with senior officials to identify the actual causes of the accident.
He also said the strength of the Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Municipal Corporation High School building, next to the site, would be checked.
Published – September 30, 2026 01:10 pm IST
