Four students of a Government Boys’ hostel run by the Kallar Reclamation Scheme were injured when a concrete sunshade slab fell on them, at Usilampatti on Monday morning.
The police said that while two students – R. Dinakaran (14) and L. Puviarasan (16), both from Kodaikanal – suffered fractures on their legs, K. Abishek of Mayiladumparai in Theni district sustained a fracture in his hand. Another boy, G. Kameswaram sustained minor injuries.
The police said that the incident occurred at around 7 a.m., when the boys were chatting under the sunshade after taking their morning tea.
The hostel warden, R. Balamurugan, said that the old hostel building, which was constructed in 1992, was in a dilapidated condition. “Though maintenance work at a cost of Rs. 5 lakh was carried out a few years back, the building remained under lock and key because of its weak structure,” he said.
However, the boys had gone there after taking tea since it was closer to the kitchen of the hostel.
The boys studying in the nearby Government Higher Secondary School were in a relaxed mood in the hostel since it was a holiday for the school in connection with Adi Perukku festival.
The hostel which accommodates boys studying in classes 4 to 12 has just begun admission to the facility in the new academic year. It had 180 students and 90 of them were there when the accident took place.
All the four injured were given first aid at the Government hospital in Usilampatti. The three who suffered fractures were admitted to the Government Rajaji hospital here. However, Abhishek was taken home, by his parents, after treatment.
