A lighting frame collapsed during a Dandiya event at MVSR Engineering College in Hyderabad on October 17, killing an 18-year-old engineering student and injuring 15 others, according to Adibatla police. More than 600 students were present at the venue when the accident occurred at around 7.30 pm.
The deceased student, identified as Sona, was crushed under the rectangular frame and suffered fatal head injuries, police said. The other 15 students sustained minor injuries.
Adibatla Inspector S Ramesh said the lighting arrangement had been erected on a rectangular frame. “There was wind, and it didn’t survive the impact. The frame fell immediately, killing the student,” he told The Indian Express.
The incident took place during Navaratri celebrations organised within the college campus. When asked whether the event had permission, local police said the programme was held on the college premises. However, Shamshabad Deputy Commissioner of Police B Rajesh said the college should have informed the police about the size of the gathering.
“They should have at least intimated the police about this massive crowd,” Rajesh told The Indian Express. The police account places the crowd at more than 600 students, making the scale of the gathering a central part of the authorities’ response.
The collapse highlights the immediate safety risks associated with temporary lighting and event structures at large gatherings. The police said wind affected the frame before it fell on the students. The supplied report does not state whether the structure had undergone a safety inspection or identify the agency responsible for installing it.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed condolences to the family of the deceased student and said stringent action would be taken against those responsible for the accident. He also assured the injured students that they would receive the best medical care.
The police response and the Chief Minister’s statement indicate that responsibility for the collapse and the circumstances surrounding the event will now be examined by the authorities. Further details on any investigation, safety approvals or action against those responsible were not immediately available in the supplied report.
