Mumbai: Minor succumbs to injuries from collapse of balcony

The portion of the balcony which had collapsed (right) Chandani Roshan Siddiqui, who died

A 12-year-old lost her life, while two others suffered minor injuries when a balcony of a slum dwelling collapsed at Malvani on Thursday night. It is being alleged that the resident of the upper storey dwelling kicked the balcony in a fit of rage resulting in the crash on those sitting below. The deceased has been identified as Chandani Roshan Siddiqui.

According to the police sources, the incident had occurred on Thursday night in New Collector Compound behind Elia Sarwat School near Eidgah Maidan gate number 6 in Malvani at around 1.15 am on Friday. Chandani was sitting in front of the house with her nephew Aryan and her neighbors when the wall of the first-floor balcony house collapsed on them.

Speaking with mid-day Bushra Siddiqui, the elder sister of the deceased, said, "The balcony wall did not fall on its own but was brought down. The person living on the first floor had fought with his wife. In a fit of rage, he first closed the door of the house with immense force and kicked the wall of the balcony. The portion of the balcony broke and fell on Chandani and others sitting below."

Chandani suffered serious injuries while Aryan and a woman suffered minor injuries. With the help of neighbors, Bushra first took Chandani to the government general hospital, Jankalyan Nagar, but the doctor sent her to Shatabdi Hospital. Bushra alleged that Shatabdi Hospital did not take the matter seriously. While serious wounds were visible on Chandani's body, especially on her hand, the doctors also got a CT scan and two X-rays, in which a fracture was visible, she said. The doctors, while appearing casual, bandaged Chandani's wounds, gave her a one-time medicine and sent her home saying that the girl was fine, she said.

"After bringing Chandani home, I changed her clothes and examined her right leg. The right side of her stomach had blackened. At about 8 am when I tried to wake her up for breakfast, her breathing had stopped. Bushra again rushed Chandani to Shatabdi Hospital, where the doctor told her after an hour that Chandani had passed away. The girl had died three hours after being discharged. "While I told them a million times that Chandani had serious injuries, please admit her. If only she had been treated, she would probably be alive today," said Bushra.

The Malvani cops have recorded Bushra's statement and registered a case but no arrest has been made yet. Bushra had left her husband and resided with her siblings and 3-year-old son Aryan in a rented house earning her livelihood as a real estate broker. She further told mid-day that the family who were responsible for the death of her sister had allegedly asked her to not report the incident to the police, issued threats and told them they could get away scot free by spending some money.

"We have registered a case under section 304(a) of IPC against the house owner. Information given to mid-day was not revealed at the time of recording the statement. If it so, we will record a supplementary statement and act accordingly. The accused has been summoned to the police station," said an officer from Malvani police station.

12 yrs
Age of the victim