BENGALURU: What began as a long-awaited dream to travel in a flight ended in tragedy for Latha (57) and Smitha (47), two associates of Kudumbashree, a women-led self-help group in Kerala. The duo lost their lives in the rain-triggered compound wall collapse near Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in the city on Wednesday evening.
The duo was part of a 56-member group, travelling from Kerala, on a short vacation to Bengaluru and Mysuru. The trip marked the group’s first experience travelling by flight, something many of them had been looking forward to for years and were planning for months.
The group was scheduled to spend Wednesday in Bengaluru, and then visit Mysuru and back to Kerala the next day. After sightseeing in the city, they went shopping at Commercial Street and planned to regroup at Shivajinagar by evening.
As heavy rain lashed the city, several members took shelter near Bowring Hospital. Within moments, the compound wall collapsed, killing Latha and Smitha on the spot and injuring three others. The injured are currently undergoing treatment at Bowring Hospital, with their family members by their side.
“Everything happened so fast. We started receiving calls saying our people were caught in the tragedy, but none of us imagined that a short vacation would end like this,” said Ajith P, district programme manager of Kudumbashree in Ernakulam district.
Both Latha and Smitha were the primary earning members of their families. Smitha is survived by her husband, a daily wage worker, and three daughters, while Latha is survived by her brother.
Their bodies were taken back to Kerala. The remaining members of the group have returned back to Kerala safely.
