Mathura, June 17: The Mathura police on Tuesday said they have arrested the key accused who was carrying a reward on his head and another person in connection with the collapse of six houses which killed three persons, including two minor girls.

The incident took place on June 15 in the Maya Teela area near Kacchi Sadak under Govind Nagar police station limits. Large-scale soil excavation during the levelling of a plot led to the collapse of several nearby houses.

Police arrested Sunil Gupta (45) alias Chain and contractor Pappu (44), SP (City) Rajeev Kumar Singh said. The two accused will be produced in the local court for legal proceedings, the officer said, adding that further investigation is underway. Mathura House Collapse: 1 Killed, Over 12 Feared Trapped After 4-6 Houses Collapse During Excavation in Uttar Pradesh's Masani Area, Rescue Operations Underway (Watch Videos).

Two girls, Yashoda (6) and Kavya (3) who had come from Gautampada in Vrindavan to visit their grandmother during the summer vacations, were trapped under the debris. A young man named Totaram (38), son of Bajrang, also died in the incident. Post-mortems were conducted during the day and all three were cremated the same night. Gupta is suspected to be among some individuals who illegally started the digging work near the multi-storey house using an excavator which led to the tragedy.

The district administration said it has provided relief to the affected families, adding that five of the displaced families have been allotted government housing in Vrindavan and were shifted there along with their belongings.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Mathura Shlok Kumar on Tuesday said Gupta has been booked under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. UP CM Calls for Integrated Govt Complexes in Mathura, Kanpur; Reviews Vision 2030 Plans.

Multiple teams were deployed to arrest Gupta. Surveillance and CCTV footage were used to track his location. A reward of Rs 25,000 was announced for any information leading to his arrest, he said earlier. Additional District Magistrate Pankaj Kumar Verma said the Revenue Department conducted a survey based on statements from affected residents and prepared a report. By evening, five families were allotted housing under the District Urban Development Agency (DUDA) near the 100-bed hospital in Vrindavan and were relocated along with their belongings, he added.