Panic gripped the local area of Dharmanagar in North Tripura district on Monday after a large portion of the ceiling of the Dharmanagar Cooperative Bank collapsed during banking hours, leaving several customers injured.
According to reports, the incident occurred suddenly while a number of customers were inside the bank. The sudden collapse triggered chaos and panic among the people present inside the branch. Several customers sustained injuries and were immediately rescued by bank officials with the help of local residents.
The injured persons were rushed to Dharmanagar District Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment.
Expressing deep concern over the incident, the branch manager alleged that the building housing the bank had been in a dilapidated and unsafe condition for a long time. He claimed that the bank authorities had repeatedly informed the building owner, Bikash Pal, through both written and verbal communications, requesting necessary repair and maintenance work of the roof. However, no effective steps were reportedly taken by the owner.
The bank authorities alleged that negligence on the part of the building owner was responsible for the accident.
Meanwhile, allegations have surfaced that building owner Bikash Pal misbehaved with media personnel who reached the spot to cover the incident. Journalists were allegedly prevented from collecting information and taking photographs, and were reportedly subjected to intimidation and threats, leading to resentment among media persons and local residents.
The incident has raised serious questions over safety measures and administrative monitoring of old and vulnerable buildings housing public establishments. Local residents have demanded immediate steps to ensure proper treatment for the injured, a fair investigation into the incident, and strict action against those responsible.
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