Dharwad: The operation by National Disaster Response Force ( NDRF ) team to rescue those stuck in the debris of the commercial complex that crashed continued for the fifth day on Saturday. Around 1am they retrieved another body from the debris.With this the death toll in the disaster has gone up to 15. The deceased has been identified as Jahangir Basha Harihar, 46. There was confusion about the exact number of people rescued but district health officer Dr Rajendra Doddamani taking information from all hospitals where the rescued are being treated gave the number of rescued as 54.The NDRF team said the possibility of more bodies being found is unlikely as they have reached the basement and if there were bodies it would have been highly decomposed after five days and would have emanated a foul smell. But there was no such indication anywhere at the site.Commandant Jahid Khan and second in command Kuldeep Singh are leading the NDRF operation.“Honnamma who was rescued alive on Friday evening has stated that there are more people trapped under debris. We have taken her statement seriously and are continuing with the rescue efforts. If at all there are people inside and are alive, they must be weak. Sniffer dogs would have smelt out the dead bodies in the debris. Our dogs have not traced any such spot,” said an NDRF officer.Meanwhile, relatives of some of the missing persons are hoping for the best.According to the complaint lodged with police Vaghu Vithal Jere, 37, a mason from Holtikoti, Sahadev Salunke, 50, supervisor of the building from Kamakshi Colony, Dharwad , Veerappa Hadapad, 50, of Turukara Sheegihalli and Dhakalu Dadu Kokre, 45, mason of Holtikoti who were working in the building are still missing.“Getting Honnamma out alive on the fourth day, 70 hours after the crash has raised our hopes. The indications that there are no dead bodies under the debris, makes us believe that there could be survivors” said B R Ravikanth Gowda, DIG, Fire and Emergency Services.Five experts from the fire and emergency services headed by ADGP Sunil Agarwal are also supervising the rescue operation.Police conduct mahajar Police from Suburban station brought the architect of the building Vivek Pawar to the crash site and conducted a mahajar. Pawar was arrested from Kolhapur on Thursday and is in police custody. Meanwhile, four owners of the building who surrendered are also in police custody; two have been admitted to KIMS hospital after they complained of uneasiness. The rescue operation will continue on Sunday also.

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