JOIN USFour students were injured after a huge tree came crashing down on their school compound while they were preparing to celebrate the Independence Day on Tuesday morning. The injured students are Rakesh Shankarappa, Imran Sharif, Lakshmikanth Shankarappa and Shashank Mohan.
While Rakesh of Class IV fractured his right thigh, the three others sustained minor bruises and were discharged after being administered first-aid, the police said.
An old tree at Thimmaiah Reddy Government Higher and Primary School (GHPS) in Beretena Agrahara got uprooted due to heavy overnight rain, the school staff said, adding that the villagers claimed the tree was more than 40 years old.
Around 350 students study in the school which has 17 teachers.
On Tuesday, while teachers were preparing for Independence Day celebrations, a few students were playing in the ground. At around 8.15 am, the huge tree came crashing down on the children who were playing there.
The school staff immediately rushed the four to a nearby hospital. “Rakesh was shifted to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where he is to undergo surgery,” said K L Rameshiah, Block Education Officer (BEO) South-3.”
The local corporator and the police arrived at the spot and took stock of the situation.