Disaster drill ends in disaster: Girl dies after being pushed from 2nd floor

A 19-year-old college student died in a disaster preparedness drill at a private college in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu yesterday after she was pushed from the second floor of the college building. N Lokeswari, a second-year BBA course student at Kalai Magal Arts and Science College, hit the first floor ledge during the disaster management drill and died on the spot.

According to reports, the college had organised the ‘disaster management and first aid’ drill inside the college premises to show the students how to escape during disaster situations. About 20 students were taking part in the training to jump through an emergency window.

A video recording of the ill-fated drill showed that she was reluctant to jump and after the trainer pushed her from the second floor she hit the sunshade on the first floor and fell motionless on the net held by students on the ground floor. She was immediately taken to a nearby private hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Police has detained the trainer Arumugan.


According to a ToI report quoting students, the girl was first interested in jumping, but later backed out and was sent back. But later she approached the trainer again and told the trainer that she wanted to take part in the drill. However, when she got on to the ledge of the second floor, she became reluctant to jump, but the trainer kept prompting her and finally pushed her.