8-year-old dies as school gate falls on him

In a freak accident, an eight-year-old boy died after the gate of an Arabic school in Tirumangalam collapsed on Thursday evening.

According to police, a Quran school functions inside a mosque in U.R. Nagar, Tirumangalam.

More than 17 students from various parts of the country study here. Among them was Mohammed (8), son of Mohammed Sheikh Shameem from Bihar.

“Sewage work is going on outside the compound wall of the school. Due to this, the wall is suspected to have become weak,” said Tirumangalam inspector J. Sivakumar.

On Thursday morning, Mohammad was standing near the gate and looking at the ongoing work. “There are two pillars that support the gate. One of the pillars, which was weak, toppled over and fell on Mohammed. He was rushed to a hospital for treatment, but succumbed to injuries,” said Mr. Sivakumar.

The police are questioning authorities in the mosque.