Bengaluru: Family trip to Lalbagh turns fatal for 7-year-old

Bengaluru: A year after a seven-year-old girl died in a bee attack, tragedy struck again at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens on Monday when a seven-year-old boy died after a bird bath made of stone fell on his head. The boy, Vikram, was rushed to a hospital where he died soon after.

On Monday afternoon, Vikram was sitting under the birdbath, which was a heavy pillar with a stone globe on top. As the boy’s parents were taking his pictures at Bonsai Park, the stone globe fell right on Vikram’s head. He was rushed to KIMS Hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Dr M. Jagadeesh, Deputy Director of Horticulture, said, “I feel very sad for the family. They were taking photos of the boy when the birdbath fell. We will ensure that more safety measures are taken at the park.”

Vikram’s dog Ramu mourns his death
Vikram was an active boy and took care of his dog Ramu. He had gone to Vellamalai in Vellur in Tamil Nadu with his parents on Sunday morning as he had one-week holiday. They returned to the city early on Monday morning and went to Lalbagh. Vikram’s two cousins were also with him when the tragedy struck, said Vikram’s aunt Bindu.

“He was the only son of Kumar, who works in a power loom, and Revathi, a homemaker. Vikram had adopted a dog, Ramu, a year ago. Ramu is mourning since Vikram’s death and has refused to eat anything," Bindu said.

“Kumar, Revathi, Vikram's aunt Mithila and cousins Rakshith and Uday left for Lalbagh in the morning after breakfast. I was shattered when I heard later in the day that Vikram was no more,” she said.

The family blamed
The Horticulture Department, which runs the park, for the tragedy.A senior police officer said, “We have taken up a case of unnatural death. If we come across any negligence, we will take suitable action against those who are responsible for the incident.”