3 killed in wall collapse

The incident took place when the wall of a government college building gave way, collapsing on a house abutting it

Relatives mourn at the dead bodies of the victims in the wall collapse in Vijayanagar Colony in Hyderabad. PHOTO: G. RAMAKRISHNA

Three of a family died and two others sustained injuries when the compound wall of a Government college building collapsed on their asbestos sheet-roofed house near Mehdipatnam here on Thursday.

Death was instant for Maha Laxmi, 22, her son Janardhan, 5, and mother-in-law Parvathamma, 50. Laxmi’s elder son Srihari, 6, and husband Mavullu, 30, sustained injuries. They were shifted to Osmania General Hospital.

Their single-room house was abutting the compound wall of the Comprehensive College of Education at Kotammabasthi in Vijayanagar colony.

The nearly 15-foot-high compound wall crashed around 5.30 a.m. when Laxmi and her family members were asleep.

Water seepage

“The old wall apparently weakened due to seepage of water following continuous rains for the past few days. Downpour the previous night further damaged it,” the Humayunnagar police said.

Police and the GHMC officials rushed to the spot and took up rescue operations. The bodies were retrieved and shifted to Osmania General Hospital for autopsy.

Injured Mavullu and his son are recuperating in the hospital.

A case of rash and negligent act resulting in death was registered under Section 304-A of Indian Penal Code against the college.

“The FIR has been issued. We have to investigate and fix responsibility as to whose negligence resulted in the three deaths,” the Humayunnagar Inspector G. Biksham Reddy said.

Two injured

In another incident, two persons sustained injuries when the compound wall built around an open land collapsed at Deer park in Vanasthalipuram.