HYDERABAD: One student sustained an ankle fracture and two others had tissue damage on their eyebrows while nine others suffered injuries as they slipped and fell from an escalator in a mall on Thursday. A teacher was also injured in the incident.
The victims were among a group of 21, including a teacher of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Filmnagar, who had gone for the screening of film ‘Gandhi’ at the Inox theatre at GVK Mall, Banjara Hills, on Thursday morning. The screening of the movie is being organised for all students as part of diamond jubilee celebrations of India’s independence.
The local police, apart from revenue and municipality officials, were present when the students arrived at the mall.
The show was scheduled from 9.30 am to 12 noon and one teacher was assigned to escort a group of 20 students. “While they were heading to the fifth floor of the mall, the students accidentally slipped and sustained injuries when the escalator reached the second floor,” said Banjara Hills inspector M. Narender.
The injuries and external bruises were caused by the moulded iron on the edges of the stairs on the escalator and the small stiffs. Twelve students and a teacher sustained injuries in this mishap and they were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, the inspector said, adding that eight of the injured, including the teacher, were discharged while four are still undergoing treatment.
The government was bearing all the expenses of the victims, the police said.
The CCTV footage of the incident was yet to be checked for the actual cause of mishap, said the police, adding that no case was booked and no complaints were received. The other students and faculty proceeded for the screening as scheduled.
“The ankle fracture surgery for the student is being scheduled to be cleared as soon as possible and the two students who sustained tissue damage on their eyebrows are given treatment accordingly,” added the police.
A message from school vice-principal S. Venkata Lakshmi said, “This is to inform all the parents of Classes 6 to 12 that the students who went to watch a movie at Inox are safe. 10 students had minor injuries and are totally safe. Parents of injured students are informed. Please don’t panic, all are safe.”
Education minister Sabitha Indra Reddy directed the collector to provide good treatment to the students. She also directed school education director Devasena to go to the hospital where the injured students were being treated and review the situation.
