Football tournament organisers booked after gallery collapsed, leaving 55 injured in Kothamangalam
Kochi, Apr 21 (PTI): A case has been registered against the organising committee of a football tournament following the accident in which a gallery collapsed near Kothamangalam, here, police said on Monday.
The Pothanikad police registered the case against six persons under sections 125 (a) and 125 (b) (endangering life or personal safety of others) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after inspecting the accident site, police officers said.
The collapse happened at the Malik Dinar Public School ground, where the final of the tournament organised by the local club 'Hero Youngs Club and Reading Room, Adivadu' was set to take place.
The six persons, who are functionaries of Hero Youngs Club and Reading Room permitted more spectators without providing adequate safety measures into the temporary gallery set up at the ground, according to the FIR.
Preliminary inquiry suggests that the gallery, constructed using bamboo poles, gave way after its supports sank into the rain-soaked ground, a police officer said.
Of the 55 injured, four remain under treatment at various private hospitals in Thodupuzha and Kothamangalam.
Thousands of spectators had gathered to watch the match, as the tournament had been going on for the past two weeks.
The gallery collapse took place just minutes before kickoff, during a pre-match parade where organisers were displaying the winners' trophy inside the ground by 10.05 pm on Sunday.
According to police sources, the functionaries of the club stated that emergency rescue operations were launched immediately after the incident and that none of the injuries were critical.
They also claimed all necessary permissions had been obtained prior to the event, they added.
However, the police said an inquiry is underway.
At least 35 people were injured when a makeshift gallery collapsed during the final of a local #football tournament at Malik Deenar Public School in Adivadu, #Pallarimangalam, on Sunday night. The incident occurred at 10 pm, just before the match was set to begin, as around 2,000… pic.twitter.com/V6z3be7qlu
— News9 (@News9Tweets) April 21, 2025
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
