A 19-year-old Delhi University student was injured after a slab of rock weighing 100-150 kg toppled and crushed a part of her leg at the under-construction Benito Juarez Marg underpass in South Delhi on Wednesday.
Police said the slab was at the road divider near the construction site, which is under the Public Works Department (PWD), when it toppled onto the student while she was crossing the road in front of Durgabai Deshmukh Metro station along with her friends.
The student, who was shifted to Holy Family hospital, on Sunday alleged that there was no barricading or safety equipment on the road.
“My friends and I were going to Satya Niketan for lunch. We left college and were crossing the road when the slab fell on my leg. I was shocked and didn’t know what to do… my leg was crushed by the heavy rock. I was crying. My friends started screaming for help. Around 10-15 people had to lift the slab to rescue me. They then took me to Primus hospital,” she said.
The students were crossing from an unauthorised stretch/ section… We request students and pedestrians to not risk lives by crossing the Ring road and to use the foot overbridge,” he added.
Police said they received a call about the mishap and a case will be registered on the complaint of the student.
“She was not fit for a statement earlier. We will take her complaint and file a case against the contractor and authorities involved for alleged negligence. Legal action will be taken,” said a senior police officer.
The woman toldthat she had lost her parents to cancer and Covid recently and lives with her relatives.
“I was scared because I suffered multiple fractures, skin tears and needed two surgeries. We needed money for treatment, but my family didn’t have the money. My friends and other students helped me. Doctors have said it will take 5-10 months for me to walk. I hope somebody takes action against the construction group… I was simply crossing the road and the slab fell because of the excavator,” she said.
Doctors at Holy Family hospital said the girl suffered multiple fractures on her leg and her foot was severely damaged.
She underwent two surgeries — one to treat the deformity and the other was skin grafting from the thigh to her foot. They said she will be discharged soon and will undergo physiotherapy.
Meanwhile, a group of DU students from Sri Venkateswara College, Jesus and Mary College and other South Campus departments started an online crowdfunding campaign and helped the student pay the hospital bills. In a notice they drafted on the incident, they alleged “irresponsibility on the part of the authority, the construction group and the person operating the machine”.
