Anantnag, Mar 5: A portion of the ceiling in the conference hall of Dooru Town Hall collapsed on Thursday during an awareness programme on building a drug-free society, triggering panic among participants.
No major injuries were reported, officials said. The programme was organised by the Rural Development Department (RDD) and attended by employees from several departments, including Education, Health and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Witnesses said the incident occurred midway through the programme when a section of the ceiling suddenly gave way with a loud noise. “People rushed out of the hall as dust and debris began falling from above,” a participant said. Some female employees fainted due to shock, while a few ASHA workers sustained minor injuries in the ensuing commotion, witnesses said. The injured were taken to a nearby hospital, where they were provided first aid and later discharged. Officials said the situation could have been more serious but the ceiling slab did not fall completely. “Fortunately, the slab remained partially hanging and did not collapse entirely, which prevented a major tragedy,” an official said. Executive Officer of the Municipal Council Dooru confirmed the incident. “Few employees fell unconscious during the commotion,” the officer said. He said the municipal council has informed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Dooru and the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag about the incident. “We have written to the SDM Dooru and DC Anantnag. A thorough inquiry will determine the cause of the ceiling collapse,” the officer said.
