A student was killed and 17 others injured after a metal lighting frame collapsed during a dandiya event at MVSR Engineering College in Hyderabad on Saturday evening, prompting the Telangana government to order police action against those responsible.
The incident occurred around 7.30pm on the college campus at Nadergul in Adibatla, where students had gathered for the celebrations. A video of the incident showed the metal structure toppling onto the gathering, triggering panic among those present.
The deceased student was identified as Sona, according to Adibatla inspector S Ramesh. College staff and fellow students rushed to the site after the collapse and moved the injured students to different hospitals for treatment.
Police said the 17 injured students were safe and had suffered minor injuries. Officers were also checking on the condition of another girl who had been shifted to a private hospital. The source report did not provide further details about the nature of her injuries or the hospital where she was admitted.
A stage had been set up in one section of the college ground, while a large metal frame had been erected to support decorative lights. Another similar structure had also been installed elsewhere on the ground. The report did not specify who had designed, supplied or installed the frames, or whether the event infrastructure had undergone a safety inspection before the programme.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the student’s death and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office on Saturday night. He directed officials to ensure that the injured students received the best medical treatment.
The Chief Minister also instructed police to identify those responsible and initiate stringent action. The incident places attention on the safety arrangements governing temporary structures at large gatherings on educational campuses, although the police investigation had not, at the time of the report, established the cause of the collapse or assigned responsibility. Further official details are expected as the investigation proceeds.
