91 injured as tent collapses during PM Modi's rally in West Bengal's Midnapore

Narendra Modi Rally: Immediately after the incident PM instructed the SPG personnel to look after the people and attend to any injured

People stand near a tent that collapsed during Prime Minister Narendra Modis Krishi Kalyan Sabha (public meeting), in Midnapore district of West Bengal. Photo: PTI

MIDNAPORE: In a tragic incident, a portion of tent collapsed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in West Bengal’s Midnapore on Monday, injuring 91 people including 13 women. The incident occurred while Modi was delivering his speech. The tent was erected next to the main entrance of the rally venue to shelter people from the rain. The prime minister saw the tent collapsing while he was in the middle of his speech. He immediately instructed the SPG personnel to look after the people and attend to any injured. P Kundu, principal of government-run West Midnapore Medical College and Hospital, said that 67 people including 13 women were admitted after the incident but no one was seriously injured. The injured were rushed to the hospital and were provided with first aid. After addressing the rally, the PM went to the hospital and spoke to some of the injured. Speaking to one of the injured, he said: “You are very brave”.

#WATCH Moments after a portion of tent in PM Narendra Modi’s rally in Midnapore collapsed during his speech today. PM later met the injured in hospital. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/NjvFY7d6Ay

— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2018

#WATCH A portion of tent in PM Narendra Modi’s rally in Midnapore collapsed during his speech today. PM instructed the SPG personnel to look after the people and attend to the injured. PM later met those injured, in hospital. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/yb1CFQaSSc

— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2018

A woman who was injured asked for an autograph when the prime minister visited the hospital and he happily obliged. Continuing his speech after the tent collapse, Modi complimented the people in the rally for showing discipline and helping out the injured. "Even after the tent collapsed, the people present there helped others. No one fled. They maintained discipline." hen asked about the accident, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said that the poles of the tent fell as the ground was completely wet after the rains. Also, many people climbed atop the tent which could not take their weight. He said police and local security personnel should have been more careful and should not have allowed supporters to climb the tent. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the state government would provide all medical assistance to those injured in the rally. "We pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured at the Midnapore rally today. The government is giving all help for medical treatment," Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle.