16-year-old brain-dead, 5 injured as wall collapses at Mangaluru college event

A 16-year-old student was declared brain-dead and five others were injured after a supporting wall collapsed during an office-bearers’ ceremony at a convention hall in Mangaluru on Saturday, police said.

The incident took place at Rama Laxminarayan Convention Hall, where students of a composite college had gathered for a programme related to the ceremony of college student union office-bearers.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, overcrowding forced several students to stand in a corridor and lean against a supporting wall. The apparently weak wall then collapsed, causing the students to fall.

The five injured students were rushed to Highland Hospital in Mangaluru, police said. They were identified as Mohammed Shanan Ahmed (18), Haneef (23), Dawood Farsin Ahmed (18), Mohammed Shakeel Hussain (18) and a 16-year-old boy.

The minor was shifted to the intensive care unit and was reported to be in critical condition. Police later said one person was brain-dead.

A student who witnessed the incident said there was heavy crowding in the balcony area and questioned the condition of the old building.

A student eyewitness said the balcony area was heavily crowded when the incident occurred.

“There were a lot of students crowding the balcony area. The building is very old and should have been renovated. Since elections were also being held there, the authorities should have ensured it was safe,” the student said.

The student also added that a friend also fell in the incident and they rushed the injured to the hospital.

Police said preliminary information indicated that the students had gathered for the college programme when the overcrowding led some of them to lean against the wall. The collapse sent them falling down and left several injured.

Police are now ascertaining the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the condition of the structure and the arrangements at the venue.- Ends