Falling plaster injures football fan

(Clockwise from top left) The part of the roofwhere the plaster fell off; injured senior citizenNagaraj gets first aid; a fan with a puckish senseof humour makes a point to the authorities. Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

The lament that the city’s non-cricket sports infrastructure is crumbling was underscored a little too literally here on Thursday.

In an embarrassment to the Karnataka State Football Association (KSFA), a spectator at the Bangalore Football Stadium was injured by plaster that worked itself loose from the ceiling and rained on him.

The incident occurred during the second division I-League match between Eagles FC and NRB Vasco SC, when a sizeable chunk of cement plaster at one of the stands fell from the roof in chunks. Nagappa (76), a former player and a retired HAL employee, seated directly below, was hit and he started bleeding from the head profusely and was attended to at once by the doctor on duty.

Mr. Nagappa was taken to the HAL Hospital in the KSFA’s ambulance. He was reported to be stable.

While some spectators joked that they would have to protect themselves with helmets hereafter, one of them proceeded to do so immediately.

Reacting to the incident, KSFA president A.R. Khaleel said: “We got the injured persons admitted to hospital. It was a very unfortunate incident and we will immediately start work on the plaster. We have contacted an engineer, who is expected to start work on Friday.”