Eight-year-old dies after iron gate falls on him

Lucknow: An eight-year-old boy was killed after an iron gate allegedly collapsed on him inside the premises of a day-care centre operated by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities on Saturday morning.

Shiva Kashyap (8), son of Vikram Kashyap, a resident of Bahraich, arrived in Lucknow just four days ago along with his mother, Lalita, to spend his summer vacation with his maternal grandmother, Meena Devi, in Nishatganj.

“My grandson was the eldest among my daughter's three children. His father is a daily-wage worker in Kolhapur and will take three days to return, so he will not be present for the last rites,” said Meena Devi.

According to eyewitnesses, Shiva was playing with his siblings near the school gate when the old and allegedly dilapidated iron gate suddenly collapsed on him, causing severe injuries.

Residents and bystanders rushed to the spot and tried to lift the gate but were unable to do so due to its enormous weight. Shiva remained trapped beneath the structure for a considerable period, and by the time the gate was finally removed, he succumbed to his injuries.

Family members broke down inconsolably, while angry residents blamed negligence in the maintenance of the govt facility. Locals questioned how a deteriorated gate was allowed to remain in use at a campus regularly visited by children with disabilities.

Police from Mahanagar police station reached the spot after receiving information about the incident, took the body into custody and sent it for post-mortem.

SHO Mahanagar Pradeep Giri said the child sustained fatal injuries after being trapped beneath the fallen gate. Family members and local residents gathered at the site and staged a protest by placing the child's body on the road. Protesters also demanded adequate compensation for the bereaved family.

According to school staff, the institution has remained closed for summer vacation since May 20, with only limited staff attending work. Staff members said CCTV footage showed the boy swinging on the gate and that it suddenly fell on him when he attempted to get down.

However, the victim's uncle, Rahul, disputed the claim. “My nephew had gone to play on the swings inside the premises. He was not swinging on the gate, which was in a dilapidated condition. It was weak and unsafe, and the authorities did nothing to repair or maintain it,” he said.

DM Vishakh G has directed SDM Manoj Singh to visit the site and submit a detailed report on the circumstances surrounding the incident.