Two Kerala women among 7 killed in Bengaluru wall collapse

Kochi: Two women from Ernakulam district were among seven people killed after a hospital compound wall collapsed amid heavy rain and strong winds in Bengaluru on Wednesday evening. At least seven others were injured in the incident.

The tragedy occurred near the compound of Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Shivajinagar. The deceased Malayalis have been identified as Smitha Raghu of Thekke Irambil and Latha Manakkakudi, who are natives of Ramamangalam panchayat near Piravom in Ernakulam.

Both were part of a 56-member Kudumbashree workers group from Ernakulam that had travelled to Bengaluru earlier in the day for a leisure trip and site visit organised by the Community Development Society (CDS). It is learnt that the workers are those who make the Amrutham Nutrimix powder, a fortified nutritional supplement for children, produced by Kudumbashree units in Kerala.

The group, comprising 46 Kudumbashree workers and 10 officials, had arrived by flight from Kochi on Wednesday morning and they went out shopping in the evening.

According to reports from news agencies, heavy rain and gusty winds lashed several parts of Bengaluru by evening. While shopping near Commercial Street, members of the group took shelter beside a temporary tarpaulin structure set up adjacent to the hospital wall. It was during this time that the wall suddenly collapsed, trapping several people underneath.

Apart from the two fatalities, three other women from Ramamangalam, Preethi, Siji, and Maya, were injured. They are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bengaluru. 

“They went to Bengaluru as part of the tour. We are yet to get clarity about what exactly happened. Based on the information from a CDS official who is with the team, it is confirmed that Smitha and Latha lost their lives. While three others from our panchayat are injured, it is learnt that Maya’s injuries are serious. We are yet to get further details and all their family members are anxious,” Ramamangalam panchayat president Jessy Raju told Onmanorama.

Aswathy Manikandan, wife of Latha’s cousin, said that they only got to know that Latha and Smitha are dead. “Latha is unmarried and she stays with her mother. Her mother is yet to be informed about the accident. We are all shocked and are unable to get others on the phone,” she said.

Other victims in the accident included street vendors and pedestrians who were near the site at the time of the incident. Local residents, along with police and fire force personnel, carried out rescue operations and pulled the survivors out from the debris.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who visited the site, has announced an immediate compensation of ₹5 lakh for the families of the deceased and assured free medical treatment for the injured. He also ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Heavy rain and strong winds were reported across several parts of Bengaluru on Wednesday evening for nearly an hour, while waterlogging was reported in key stretches in the city.