At least seven people lost their lives and seven others were injured on Wednesday evening after a portion of a compound wall near Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bengaluru collapsed amid intense rainfall, officials said.
The incident occurred around 5:30 pm in Shivajinagar during a sudden downpour accompanied by thunder, lightning and hail. The city had recorded nearly 78 mm of rainfall by then, severely affecting normal life.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, seven fatalities have been confirmed. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced ₹5 lakh compensation for the families of each deceased, free treatment for the injured, and an inquiry into the cause of the collapse.
The hospital, one of the city’s oldest public healthcare institutions, is located in a densely populated area where street vendors frequently operate along adjoining footpaths. Preliminary accounts suggest traders had set up stalls near the wall, and several people had taken shelter there to escape the heavy rain when the structure suddenly gave way.
Eyewitnesses said the wall collapsed within seconds as people stood under tarpaulin sheets fixed along it. Locals began rescue efforts immediately, pulling victims out from the debris before emergency teams arrived. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals.
Following the incident, the Chief Minister visited the site and indicated that ongoing civil work inside the premises may have contributed to the collapse. Soil allegedly dumped against the wall could have increased pressure and weakened the structure. He questioned officials over possible lapses in inspection and coordination, stating that the tragedy might have been avoided with proper vigilance.
On 31 April, Siddaramaiah ordered the suspension of the executive engineer in charge of the Health and Family Welfare Department in connection with the incident. The decision came after he chaired a review meeting with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and officials from the Greater Bengaluru Authority and other agencies.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister raised concerns over the dumping of mud behind the wall despite risks of structural weakening. He also questioned hospital authorities for failing to prevent the dumping and instructed officials to issue a notice to the hospital superintendent.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he had immediately left a meeting upon receiving information about the collapse and rushed to the site to oversee relief efforts.