Around 20 injured as gallery collapses during football match in Palakkad

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Around 20 people, including children, were injured after a temporary gallery erected for a football match collapsed at Kalaparambu, Vallapuzha panchayat in Palakkad on Tuesday. The incident happened during the final of a football match organised by a cultural society based in Vallapuzha to raise funds for charity purposes.
A portion of the gallery collapsed during the second half of the match. People seated in the front row of the gallery fell to the ground, and there was a huge commotion as people fell over one another. Eye-witnesses said that the structure slanted forward, and people lost balance, slid ahead and fell down. The volunteers and other spectators rushed the injured people to three hospitals. The condition of all the injured people is reported to be stable.
The football match is reportedly being organised as an annual event and is hugely popular. Panchayat representatives said that the match was played on a school ground, and the gallery was jam-packed since it was the final match. It is alleged that the gallery was packed beyond its carrying capacity, which led to its collapse.
The panchayat authorities said that it needs to be checked if a structural stability certificate was issued for the temporary gallery set up for the football match. Pattambi police said that the injured people had been taken to the hospital and that other details would be known only after a detailed investigation.