MANGALURU: A 16-year-old student was declared brain dead and four others sustained injuries after a parapet wall of the first floor of a function hall collapsed during the installation ceremony of the new office-bearers of the All College Students Union, Dakshina Kannada unit, at Yemmekere here on Saturday.
The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Shamaz (16), a resident of Haleangadi. It was not clear whether he was a college student. He was standing on the ground floor when the portion of the parapet wall fell on him.
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said a large number of students had gathered at Rama Lakshmi Hall for the event. Due to overcrowding inside the hall, several students were standing in the corridor outside. Some students leaned against the parapet wall, which was reportedly weak, causing it to collapse under the weight.
The injured students were immediately shifted to Highland Hospital in Mangaluru, where Shamaz was declared brain dead after he failed to respond to treatment.
The injured have been identified as Mohammad Shanan (18) of Surinje, Haneef (23) of Adyar, Mohammad Shakil Hussain, aged 18 from Kasba Bengre and Dawood Farseen Ahmed (18) of Gandhinagar, Kavoor.
The incident occurred shortly after the installation ceremony concluded and the guests, including MLC Ivan D’Souza who attended the programme, had left the venue.
Pandeshwar police are investigating the case.