Woman dies trying to save child in building collapse

Incidentally, as the balcony crumbled and fell, Lakshmi shielded her one-year-old granddaughter Rakshana and took the brunt of the falling debris thereby saving the child. But, her husband and another motorist suffered serious injuries in the incident. Police said while Lakshmi, her husband and their granddaughter were sitting on the portico on the first floor of the two-storey building, the overhead balcony suddenly came crashing down on them. Lakshmi had Rakshana on her lap and she shielded the child with her body. 

However, the portico on which they were sitting, also collapsed and a motorist, Magesh (25), who was  passing by, came under the falling debris and was injured. According to sources, the building was almost 20 years old and the family had been staying in the house on rent for 10 years. The balcony apparently weakened owing to the continuous seepage of waste water. 

The couple’s daughter Sukanya was in the house, while their  son-in-law, a driver, was away at work when the incident occurred. The neighbours alerted JJ Nagar fire station following which the debris was cleared and the injured rushed to Kilpauk Medical College (KMC) Hospital. 

Lakshmi was, however, declared brought dead while her husband Natarajan and Magesh have been admitted with grievous injuries. The child was discharged after a medical examination. The Nolambur police have registered a case and are questioning the house’s owner Udayakumar.