People gather as rescuers look for trapped people after a building collapsed in Thane, Mumbai, India, April 4, 2013. At least 9 people died and over 40 people were injured when an under-construction residential building collapsed on Thursday evening, local media reported. (Xinhua/Stringer)

At least 24 people were killed and more than 60 others injured when an under-construction seven- storeyed building collapsed in the western Indian state of Maharashtra Thursday evening, a senior police official said.

"The incident happened at 6.30 p.m. in Thane near state capital Mumbai. So far, 24 bodies have been recovered. Many more are still trapped inside the debris. The injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals," he said on condition of anonymity.

Local TV channels showed footage of disaster management officials, police officials and firefighters carrying out rescue operations throughout the night and said the building was "illegal ".

A probe has been ordered into the incident, the official said, adding that the builder has been booked for the deaths of 24 people, most of whom were laborers.