Grief outside, anger within: Families wait as CM Siddaramaiah's visit blocks hospital access after wall collapse in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Grief and disbelief hung over Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital on Wednesday evening as families of those killed and injured in the wall collapse gathered, many unable to get answers and some unable to get through.

Anger was directed at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, whose visit to the hospital blocked access to the emergency ward, preventing families from reaching their injured relatives.

Mohammed Suhail, whose brother Fayyaz Ahmed (39) was among the seven who died, was inconsolable. "My brother sold footwear on the footpath here for many years. He has two young children and a wife. I feel lost without him," he said.

Ahmed Khan, a relative of another victim, was direct in his frustration. "After the incident, everyone comes here to express grief, but nobody does anything to stop such incidents."

Among the dead was six-year-old Musaveer Begum, who had come to Shivajinagar with her mother to shop. Her grandfather told DH: "We had spoken to her before she left. She was just six years old. We are not even able to see them because officials are there. We are heartbroken. We do not know about her mother's condition yet."

Nida Fatima, whose cousin was among those killed, said: "We are beyond heartbroken. My cousin worked as a street vendor, selling garments. He was doing business here for years and worked hard."

The Karnataka Pragathipara Beedhi Vyaparigala Sangha demanded ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh for the kin of each of the deceased and Rs 10 lakh for the injured.

Citing unconfirmed reports, the Sangha said two of the seven who died were street vendors. Two other street vendors are being treated at Victoria Hospital and others at Bowring Hospital.

The Sangha also demanded a government inquiry into the collapse to fix responsibility if faulty construction is established.

Rs 244-cr building, opened in 2020

The Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College and Research Centre, attached to Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, was built at a cost of Rs 244 crore and inaugurated in December 2020. The collapsed wall formed the perimeter of the medical college.