8-year-old boy crushed to death after gate collapses in Lucknow; kin stage road protest with body

LUCKNOW: An eight-year-old boy was killed after a heavy iron gate allegedly collapsed on him inside the premises of a school operated by the Department of Divyangjan Sashaktikaran (Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities) in Lucknow on Saturday morning, triggering outrage among local residents and a road blockade by the victim's family members demanding action against those responsible.The deceased was identified as Shiva Kashyap (8), son of Vikram Kashyap, a resident of Banjari Mod in Dhannipur area of Bahraich district. Shiva had come to Lucknow to spend his summer vacation at the house of his maternal grandmother, Meena Devi, in Nishatganj. According to family members, he had arrived only four days ago along with his mother Lalita.The tragic incident occurred between 9 am and 9.30 am at the premises of Bachpan Day Care School, a facility for visually impaired children functioning under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in the Mahanagar police station area.According to police and eyewitnesses, Shiva was playing with his siblings and other children near the entrance of the school when the old and allegedly dilapidated iron gate suddenly gave way and crashed onto him. The massive gate pinned the child underneath, causing severe injuries.Residents and bystanders rushed to the spot and desperately tried to lift the gate to rescue the boy. However, due to its enormous weight, they were unable to remove it immediately. Shiva remained trapped beneath the structure for a considerable period. By the time the gate was finally removed, the child had succumbed to his injuries."The gate was extremely heavy. Despite the efforts of several people present there, it could not be lifted quickly. The child remained trapped underneath and died on the spot," said a local resident who witnessed the incident.As news of the tragedy spread, scenes of grief unfolded at the spot. Family members broke down inconsolably, while angry residents blamed negligence in the maintenance of the government facility. Locals questioned how a deteriorated gate was allowed to remain in use at a campus regularly visited by children, including visually impaired students.Police from Mahanagar police station reached the spot after receiving information and took the body into custody. The body was later sent for postmortem examination.Station House Officer (SHO) Mahanagar, Pradeep Giri, said the child sustained fatal injuries after being trapped beneath the fallen gate."Necessary legal proceedings are being carried out. The circumstances leading to the collapse of the gate are being investigated," he said.According to the victim's maternal uncle Rahul, Shiva's father works in a private company in Chennai and was informed about the incident immediately after the tragedy. He has since left for Lucknow.The incident soon sparked public outrage. Family members and local residents gathered at the site and later staged a protest by placing the child's body on the road, demanding strict action against those responsible for maintaining the premises. Protesters also sought adequate compensation for the bereaved family and registration of a criminal case against negligent officials.The demonstration disrupted traffic movement in the area for some time as police personnel and administrative officials attempted to pacify the agitating crowd. Senior officers reached the spot and assured the family that a fair inquiry would be conducted.Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mahanagar, Ankit Kumar, said that legal formalities were being completed and an investigation had been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of the collapse.Officials are examining whether structural weakness, prolonged neglect, rusting, poor maintenance, or other lapses contributed to the accident. The condition of the gate and other infrastructure inside the departmental campus is also likely to come under scrutiny during the inquiry.Taking cognisance of the incident, Lucknow District Magistrate Vishakh G directed Sub-Divisional Magistrate Manoj Singh to visit the site and submit a detailed report on the circumstances surrounding the incident.Residents have demanded a comprehensive structural audit of the campus and strict accountability for any officials found negligent in ensuring the safety of the premises.