BENGALURU: “I work as a salesgirl at Soch (an ethnic wear store), which is on the first floor. The staffers have lunch on the second floor. On Monday, I was leaving the second floor after lunch around 2pm when the wall collapsed and I sustained injury on my forehead,” said 20-year-old Amreen, recalling the wall collapse incident at Mantri Mall in Malleswaram. The accident left her with eight stitches on her forehead.
After the wall collapse, the mall authorities confirmed that two housekeeping staffers, including 45-year-old Lakshmamma, were injured. Both were on the third floor where the incident occurred. But two days later, it has come to light that two more women, who were on the second floor at that time, were injured. The number of those injured might be more.
Immediately after the incident, Amreen’s manager rushed her to Apollo Hospital near the mall. Her bag and phone were left behind in the shop. It was only on Wednesday that she could get her belongings from the mall.
Amreen said that she was discharged from the hospital the same day. She lives in Anjanappa Garden near Binnypet with her mother and sister. When asked about who paid her medical bills, she said she did not pay any money and was unaware about who paid. “I only paid `200 as auto fare to get home,” she said.
Amreen added that the wall collapse left one more woman injured. Yashodha, who works as a sales woman with Fazal’s (another ethnic wear outlet), suffered a fracture in the leg. The widow lives with her two children near Magadi Road. “Yashodha was there with us and we were having lunch,” she said.
Aditya Sikri, CEO, Retail and Commercial, Mantri Developers, said they were aware of only two people being injured and added that both of them were admitted to K C General Hospital. Another woman had fainted the same day due to low blood sugar and she was also treated, he added. “We are taking care of their medical expenses,” he added.