Student killed, 14 injured as tree falls on them in Chandigarh school
Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Jul, 2022 11:38 AM
Chandigarh, July 8 (IANS) A student was killed and 14 others were injured when a 250-year-old peepul tree fell on them at the all-girls Carmel Convent School in Sector 9 here.
The about 70-feet tall tree uprooted naturally and fell on the students when they were playing under it.
Condition of a student and a woman conductor was stated to be critical.
The heritage tree was protected by the administration of the Union Territory.
Expressing grief over the incident, local Member of Parliament Kirron Kher tweeted by saying, "A very heart-wrenching incident of a tree falling at Carmel Covent School Chandigarh. My condolences to the bereaved families and I pray for a speedy recovery of the injured."
Chandigarh has been experiencing moderate to heavy rains in the past one week.
On receiving information about the incident, SP City Dinesh Kumar Singh, along with police force, reached the spot. The injured youths were sent to the hospital for treatment and the matter is being investigated.
The Chief Minister said the government is fully sensitive towards checking cross-border infiltration in Punjab. He said Punjab Police is constantly in touch with the Border Security Force (BSF) and other agencies for this purpose.
While briefing the officers, the DGP said the topmost priority of the government, as directed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is to further strengthen the fight against drugs to make Punjab a drug-free state, besides eliminating the gangster culture, maintaining law and order, and detection of crime.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased, whereas Rs 15,000 as immediate relief for the injured. He said free treatment would be provided to the injured.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday carried out his first Cabinet expansion by inducting five legislators, including second-time MLA Aman Arora, into his council of ministers. The expansion came in less than four months of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sweeping to victory in the Assembly elections by winning 92 seats of the 117 seats.
The police have so far managed to nab four of the accused, including one woman, who have been identified as Gurjant Singh (31), Navjot Singh (30), Satpal Singh (28) and Gurpreet Kaur (30).
