KOCHI: A 34-year-old woman, who was undergoing treatment after a brick from an under-construction building fell on her head, died on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Arya Shyammon, a native of Sathar Island, who was staying at a rented house at Kottuvallikkad near Moothakunnam in Vadakkekkara.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening, while Arya was waiting for a bus near the Mani Bazar bus stop in Munambam with her six-year-old daughter Sivathmika. She was working at a private firm in Munambam.
According to the police and eyewitness accounts, the brick fell from a three-storied building under construction behind the bus stop. Workers had recently completed concrete work on the rooftop and placed a tarpaulin sheet over it. To secure the sheet from being blown away in the wind, they had placed bricks on its corners.
“One of the bricks used to hold down the tarpaulin was dislodged in the strong wind. Unfortunately, it fell directly on Arya’s head while she was standing at the bus stop with her daughter,” said Binoy T B, Arya’s neighbour and a member of the Kottuvallikkad ward of the Vadakkekkara panchayat.
Arya lost consciousness immediately after the impact. She was first rushed to a private hospital in Munambam, along with her daughter who suffered minor injuries. Later, Arya was shifted to another private hospital for emergency surgery. Despite medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries. Sivathmika was discharged after treatment.
“Arya’s husband, Shyammon, works as a driver. The couple were facing financial hardships, with Arya contributing to the family income with her job. Their daughter is a class-II student at a nearby school,” Binoy said.
The body was handed over to the family after postmortem and cremated at their residence in Sathar Island on Friday evening.
Meanwhile, the Munambam police have registered a case under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), for acts endangering the life or personal safety of others. However, no individual has been named as an accused in the FIR.
“We registered a case soon after the incident. We are investigating the role of the building owner, contractors, and construction workers in the incident. A detailed technical inspection will be carried out, and based on the evidence, appropriate charges will be included,” said Jayakrishnan S, DySP, Munambam.