Kanpur: Around two dozen candidates appearing for the Uttar Pradesh BEd Joint Entrance Examination fell into a sewage drain on Sunday morning after a dilapidated concrete slab collapsed outside an examination centre in Kanpur, police said.
The incident took place near HN Mishra PG College in MacRobertganj, where candidates had gathered at a nearby photocopy shop to obtain copies of documents required before entering the examination centre.
According to police and eyewitnesses, the ageing concrete slab covering the drain gave way under the weight of the crowd, causing around 20 to 25 candidates to fall into the sewage-filled drain.
Four candidates sustained minor injuries, while several others had their clothes, books, admit cards and other documents damaged in the incident.
Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said the candidates had gone to a shop in the Nagar Nigam market area to obtain photocopies of necessary documents.
"The old drain slab collapsed due to overcrowding. A few people suffered minor injuries, but there was no loss of life," Lal told PTI.
He said the injured were provided assistance and the candidates later proceeded to their respective examination centres. Police added that one injured guardian was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Residents and fellow aspirants rushed to the spot and helped rescue those trapped in the drain. Eyewitnesses said the incident sparked protests by candidates and parents, who alleged negligence by civic authorities and questioned the condition of public infrastructure near a major examination venue.
Shalu Shukla, whose daughter was among those affected, said she received a distressed phone call following the incident.
"She was crying and said she had fallen into the drain. Her clothes were ruined, and she was terrified. This happened because of negligence," Shukla alleged.
Khushi, a candidate from Hanspuram in Naubasta, claimed that candidates were informed at the last moment that photocopies of their Aadhaar cards were required, resulting in a rush at nearby shops.
"There was a huge crowd, and the slab suddenly gave way. Around 20 to 25 people fell into the drain," she said.
Amit, who had accompanied his sister to the examination centre, said he suffered injuries when the slab collapsed.
"My knee was scraped, and my hand was injured," he said.
Despite the disruption, police said the Uttar Pradesh BEd Joint Entrance Examination was conducted as scheduled across 19 centres in the city under tight security arrangements.
With PTI inputs