Marquee collapses in Thekkady minutes after minister departs, cop injured

Idukki: A major disaster was narrowly averted in Thekkady when a massive marquee erected for the state-level Forest and Wildlife Week celebrations collapsed, injuring a police officer. The incident occurred shortly after the inaugural ceremony concluded and Forest Minister Shibu Baby John departed the venue.

A terrifying escape
P Dhanesh, an officer with the Idukki District Headquarters force who was injured in the mishap, recalled the terrifying moments. "I was resting in the marquee after lunch when I heard a roaring sound," Dhanesh said, his eyes reflecting the trauma. "Initially, we thought it was just the wind signalling rain. But within seconds, the entire structure near the stage began listing to one side.

People started running helter-skelter. I tried to dash out, but the heavy metal pipes collapsed on my head." Bystanders quickly shifted the bleeding Dhanesh to a nearby hospital. Reflecting on the close shave, he expressed relief at surviving what could have been a fatal accident.

Contractor denies poor workmanship
Meanwhile, the contractor from Kattappana who erected the marquee defended his work, claiming that a collapse of this scale was impossible unless a vehicle had rammed into the structure. The subcontractor was hired to build the 120-foot-long and 40-foot-wide marquee after a smaller structure built by Kumily natives was dismantled. The assembly work began on Saturday and was completed on Sunday.

"I have 20 years of experience in this industry and have set up high-profile event tents, including during visits by top VIPs like Chief Minister V D Satheesan," the contractor said. He suspected that some of the support ropes might have been untied prematurely by technicians dismantling the LED walls after the minister's departure. "Even if a few ropes were loosened, it shouldn't have collapsed like this. I cannot understand how it happened," he added.

Allegations of structural negligence
However, local residents and attendees have alleged severe negligence in the construction of the marquee, which was designed to accommodate over 1,000 people. Reports suggest that the structure lacked proper anchorage.

The ropes holding the tent were tied to an iron fence that was not securely anchored to the ground. When a light gust of wind blew, the weak fence buckled under the immense weight of the marquee, triggering a domino effect that brought the entire structure down.