THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The day went from bad to worse for hundreds of employees at Thiruvananthapuram collectorate on Tuesday as they fell victim to a massive bee attack while evacuating the premises after a bomb threat.
The incident took place around 2.30pm when all employees were gathered in front of the collectorate, as per the emergency protocol, after the office received a bomb threat via email.
The collectorate has a staff strength of 800, and they had all gathered outside as the bomb squad and the police reached the scene. That was when the bees attacked.
Several employees, including the revenue divisional officer (RDO), were stung.
Some took refuge inside cars, while others ran all the way outside the main gate, but to no avail.
The police officers, bomb squad personnel as well as mediapersons who had reached the spot in response to the bomb threat also suffered stings.
TNIE photographer B P Deepu was among those injured. He was admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.
District Collector Anu Kumar later told TNIE that around 75 people were injured – seven of them severely – in the bee attack. They are under observation at the MCH and their condition is stable, she said.
Meanwhile, the threat turned out to be hoax. “We lost so many working hours,” she said.
Among those under observation at the MCH is Vichithra, a temporary staffer. Onlookers said she was badly stung while trying to save a colleague, a person with disabilities.