A Dandiya celebration at an engineering college in Hyderabad turned tragic on Saturday, October 17, after a lighting arch collapsed, killing a first-year engineering student and injuring 14 others. This happened at MVSR Engineering College in Nadergul under the Adibatla police station limits.
The arch, which had been erected for decorative lighting for the event, fell down in windy conditions, police said. The structure hit the students who had gathered for the celebrations, causing panic at the venue.
The deceased student was identified as Sona Narayan Das, who was pursuing Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE). She suffered serious injuries and was rushed to a private hospital for treatment. But she died while she was being treated.
Fourteen other people were injured in the accident. The injured were not in danger while medical teams treated them in hospitals, police said. Sona’s sister, Meena Narayan Das, was also injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.
VIDEO | Rangareddy, Telangana: Two women reportedly killed, several students injured after lighting system falls on students during a Dandiya event at MVSR Engineering College in Nadergul. (Source: Third Party) (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) https://t.co/CwTUlyOqfC
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 18, 2026
The incident has raised concerns for the safety of college festivals, for example, the lighting and decorations that are located on temporary structures. And these structures need to be secured, especially when events are held outdoors in conditions where strong winds pose a hazard.
The college had organised a two-day technical and cultural festival Sangamam-2026 on October 16 and 17. The Dandiya programme was part of the cultural celebrations bringing students together for festivities on campus.
Following the incident, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed grief at the death of the student and wished to convey his condolences to her family. He said that officials would take care of those injured.
Lighting collapse kills one at MVSR Dandiya event A Dandiya celebration at MVSR Engineering College in Nadargul ended in tragedy when a lighting system fell onto the crowd during the event. #MVSRcollegeaccidnets #Hyderabadnews #Nadargulnews #Hyderabaddandiyaevent https://t.co/S6Lgww0Cdc
— Sach Ka Safar - Khabar Har Keemat Par ✊ (@schkasafar) October 17, 2026
The Chief Minister instructed authorities to identify those responsible for the accident and take strict action. The reasons for this collapse, including safety and the preparations for the event, were all aspects of the collapse that need to be looked into.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over the festive season and renewed questions of crowd safety and event management at educational institutions. College festivals typically involve temporary stages, lighting frames, decorative arches, and large student gatherings, so structural checks and emergency planning are necessary.
Police blamed the collapse on wind, but responsibility for the incident will need to be established through the investigation. That, no matter how large the celebration was, everyone should take precautions for the safety of people.
For students and their families, what was supposed to be an evening of music and celebration turned to grief. Now healing will be done, support for the bereaved family will be given, and what was the cause of the death will be investigated.
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