Midnapore: A portion of a tent collapsed today during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in West Bengal’s Midnapore. The canopy collapsed while the Prime Minister was addressing the gathering.
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said 24 people were injured in the incident. The injured were rushed to hospital on motorcycles and even by the ambulance that follows the Prime Minister’s convoy.
Officials said the tent was erected next to the main entrance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally venue to shelter people from the rain.
#WATCH Moments after a portion of tent in PM Narendra ModiтАЩs rally in Midnapore collapsed during his speech today. PM later met the injured in hospital. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/NjvFY7d6Ay
— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2018
Many enthusiastic BJP supporters were seen crowding inside the tent during PM Modi’s rally.
The Prime Minister could be heard asking the crowd to be careful, officials said.
According to officials, the Prime Minister saw the tent collapsing while he was in the middle of his speech.
During his speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was heard urging the crowd: “Those who have climbed up, please get down, all of you….please climb down. Those standing up there, please get down. Don’t run.”
Midnapore has been receiving heavy rain since morning and it was drizzling at the time the canopy collapsed. The structure weakened further when people tried to climb the supporting poles for a glimpse of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The local BJP unit as well as PM Modi’s personal staff, including his doctor and Special Protection Group (SPG) personnel, swung into action to help the injured, officials said.
PM Modi instructed the SPG personnel to look after the people and attend the injured.
The Prime Minister also visited the hospital and met those injured during the canopy collapse.
#WATCH PM Narendra Modi tears up while talking to one of the injured people in hospital. Several were injured after a portion of a tent collapsed during PM's rally in Midnapore earlier today. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/04AOX9CJri
— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2018
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee tweeted: “We pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured at the Midnapore rally today. The government is giving all help for medical treatment.”
(With inputs from PTI)
