Four persons died and several others suffered injuries when the boundary wall of an abandoned rice mill collapsed in a vegetable market at Alasua on the outskirts of Odisha’s Dhenkanal town on Sunday morning.
People From the morning, people had started thronging the weekly market since morning. Some vendors had even sat close to the six-foot-high wall.
As trading was under way, the big wall collapsed and vendors and buyers could not run away. Four vendors died on the spot while 11 were rushed to the Dhenkanal district headquarters. Three of the injured were later shifted to SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack. Several two-wheelers were also damaged in the incident.
The district administration has announced an ex gratia of ₹25,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased.
“We have received information about deaths of four persons due to collapse of a boundary wall. A case will be registered,” said Dhenkanal Superintendent of Police Anupama James.
The district administration dismantled walls, which were in bad condition, near the market area.