A 24-year-old security guard was killed and two others were injured when a newly installed iron gate, weighing about 500 kg, fell on them at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) on C.V. Raman Road on Sunday. The deceased has been identified as Goutham Biswal, a native of Odisha.
Two other security guards, identified as Anil Kumar from Bihar and Vinayak from Odisha, are being treated for minor injuries, said the Sadashivanagar police. According to the police, the incident occurred at 12.45 p.m. when Gowtham was opening the gate to let a car in.
According to the police, the gate was about 6 feet high and 15 feet wide.
Passers-by said they heard a loud crash and rushed to the spot. With the help of a few autorickshaw drivers they were able to pull out the three guards from under the gate. All the three were taken to M.S. Ramaiah Hospital where Gowtham was declared as brought dead.
“Gowtham sustained severe injuries and died on the spot. The other two guards, who were with him, were injured,” said a police officer.
The police have taken up a case under Section 304A (death due to negligence) of the Indian Penal Code against the authority concerned at IISc. “We have summoned the authorities for questioning and action will be initiated against those responsible for the accident,” a police officer said .
Gowtham had come to Bengaluru three years ago and was employed by a city-based security agency which deputed him to IISc.
As news of the incident spread, other security personnel deployed on the IISc. campus gathered at the spot and staged a protest demanding that the police take action against the people responsible for the accident.
The protesters alleged that the new gate was installed four months ago and was not fixed properly. Many claimed that they had brought this to the attention of the authorities. “Security personnel said that they found it difficult to slide the gate as it would get jammed every time. We are investigating these allegations,” said the police.
