Thirty students were injured when a pandal collapsed on Friday afternoon during the Manjeswaram sub-district school science exhibition organised at the Bekur Government Higher Secondary School at Mangalpady.
According to officials, the condition of two injured students is reportedly critical and they have been shifted to a hospital in Mangaluru.
The incident occurred around 2.45 p.m. on Friday. Eyewitnesses said the pandal suddenly collapsed with a huge sound. The pandal was constructed on the school ground with tin sheets and bamboo. The projects prepared for the science fair by the children were destroyed.
The tin sheets fell on the students who visited the exhibition. Teachers and local people rescued them. The injured children were rushed to the Mangalpadi hospital. Many children reportedly sustained fractures.
On learning about the accident, the police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel rushed to the spot.
Following the incident, the District Collector, District Police Chief and officials of the Revenue and Educational departments visited the spot. The Education department has announced an inquiry into the incident and ordered the Deputy Director of Education to file a report.
Preliminary information suggests that the accident occurred as children entered the pandal in large numbers and the main pole of the backstage collapsed.
District Police Chief Vaibhav Saxena said that five people, including the contractor and workers, had been taken into custody and a case had been registered.
