Chennai: The Coimbatore police have booked textile shop owner Sivasubramaniam (60) under various sections of the law after a compound wall built by him collapsed killing 17 people in Mettupalayam on Monday.
The wall was in his property and he had raised its height from 8 feet to 20 feet despite protests from the Dalit community who lived near it.
On Monday, due to torrential rains, the compound wall collapsed on to the houses, resulting in the death of 17 persons including 11 women and three children.
Initially, Mettupalayam police booked Sivasubramanian under Sections 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code and then added Section 4 of Tamilnadu Property Prevention of Damage and Loss (TNPPDL) Act,
Following his arrest yesterday, police altered the case to Section 304 (a) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC and also added 304 (2).
Police have also planned to book him under some sections of SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act as well, reports said.
He was produced before the Magistrate yesterday and he was remanded in judicial custody till 17 December. He was later lodged at Coimbatore Central Prison.