Mon Dec 30 03:55:35 UTC 2024: ## Police File Case After MLA Injured in Stadium Stage Collapse
**Kochi, Kerala:** Police have registered a case following a stage collapse at the Kalur Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday, injuring MLA Uma Thomas. The incident occurred around 6:30 PM, just before a mega Bharatanatyam performance was to begin. Thomas fell, hitting her head on a concrete slab, and was immediately rushed to RIMS Hospital in Palarivattom. While she suffered serious head and lung injuries, medical reports indicate that emergency surgery isn’t necessary, though she remains under observation with ventilator support.
The First Information Report (FIR), filed by Palarivattom police on Monday morning, alleges negligence in the stage construction and a failure to meet safety standards. The organizers, stage construction contractors, and the event management company, Mridangam Mission, are all named in the case. The FIR cites the dangerously precarious construction of the stage, particularly the 11-foot-high gallery and weak safety barriers, as contributing factors to the accident. The stage itself was 55 feet long with only an 8-foot-wide area for seating, increasing the risk. Minister Saji Cherian, ADGP S. Sreejith, and City Police Commissioner P.V. Vimaladithya were among the dignitaries present at the event when the accident occurred.
Following a preliminary report, ADGP Manoj Abraham, acting DGP, instructed the Kochi Police Commissioner to file the case. A team led by the commissioner inspected the site immediately after the incident. The FIR does not yet name specific individuals. The investigation continues.
First Piper 