This story is from March 23, 2021

Telangana: 60 hurt in Suryapet at kabaddi event mishap

At least 60 people suffered injuries after a temporary viewing gallery for spectators collapsed during a kabaddi tournament at Guntakandala in Suryapet district on Monday.
Telangana: 60 hurt in Suryapet at kabaddi event mishap
People looking for the injured after the gallery collapsed in Suryapet
HYDERABAD: At least 60 people suffered injuries after a temporary viewing gallery for spectators collapsed during a kabaddi tournament at Guntakandala in Suryapet district on Monday.
The event, 47th Junior National Kabaddi Championship, was organised by Telangana Kabaddi Association. A video of the gallery crumbling and falling on to spectators went viral on social media platforms.
Junior players from across the country had gathered at Guntakandala in Suryapet at around 6.30pm to participate in the national-level championship, Suryapet police said.
As thousands of spectators were expected, the organisers had put in place multiple galleries to accommodate nearly 5,000. The largest gallery, where at least 2,000 spectators could be accommodated, collapsed, catching them unawares.
All hell broke loose following the mishap. Several people were caught underneath the scaffolding. The injured were immediately pulled out from the gallery and they were seen being lifted by other spectators. The injured were put in ambulances and other vehicles and shifted to hospital, where all were out of danger.
A person suffered grievous injury, but he was also out of danger. Poor scaffolding arrangement and overload was suspected to be the reason for the collapse, police said.
“Three galleries, to accommodate 5,000 spectators, were set up for the event. The largest gallery was the one which collapsed,’’ Suryapet superintendent of police R Bhaskaran told TOI.
Energy minister G Jagdish Reddy visited the hospital where the injured were being treated.

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