2 Students Killed as Massive Lighting Truss Collapses at Telangana's MVSR College
A festive Navratri celebration turned into a horrifying catastrophe in Nadergul, Rangareddy district, when a massive metal lighting truss collapsed onto a crowded dance floor at MVSR Engineering College on Saturday evening, claiming the lives of two female students and injuring nearly twenty others. The tragedy struck during the college's annual techno-cultural festival, "Sangamam," where hundreds of undergraduates had gathered to participate in the traditional Dandiya night. Police authorities confirmed on Sunday that a formal criminal case has been registered against the engineering college management for alleged safety lapses and structural negligence, initiating a high-level administrative probe into how heavy overhead scaffolding gave way during the student gathering.
Structural Collapse Amid Festivities: Fatal Scaffolding Failure Leaves Campus in Mourning
The accident occurred abruptly while students were dancing to festive beats, when towering iron poles supporting heavy illumination gear and sound fixtures buckled without warning, crashing directly onto an assembled group of female attendees. The impact caused fatal crush injuries to two students, while eighteen others suffered fractures and blunt trauma, with at least four currently battling for their lives in critical care units across private and government hospitals. Police officials confirmed to reporters that an FIR has been lodged against the administrative authorities of MVSR Engineering College under relevant sections of the law to examine structural clearances, vendor compliance, and event oversight. The tragic incident cast an immediate pall of grief over the campus, leaving students and parents in utter despair as questions mount over the lack of structural fail-safes at high-density youth gatherings.
Political Outrage and Administrative Defense: Calls for Immediate Arrests Amid Gale-Force Wind Claims
The fatal mishap triggered sharp reactions across Telangana's political spectrum, with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressing profound shock and grief over the untimely demise of the young students. Directing district healthcare authorities to extend top-tier medical assistance to all hospitalized victims, the Chief Minister instructed law enforcement officials to expedite the investigation and initiate strict penal action against whoever is found guilty of negligence. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President K. T. Rama Rao also conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wished a swift recovery to the critically injured students. Mounting a sharp offensive against the administration, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Andela Sriramulu Yadav accused the college leadership of gross negligence, alleging that flimsy, roughly 80-foot-tall poles were erected without proper stabilization, creating a death trap for young attendees. Demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible, Yadav warned of widespread public demonstrations if authorities attempt to shield the management. In response to mounting allegations, MVSR College Director Prasanna Kumar defended the institution, claiming the collapse was an unforeseen accident triggered by sudden, powerful wind gusts. He added that the administration acted swiftly without waiting for municipal ambulances, commandeering campus vehicles to transport the injured to emergency facilities within minutes.
