At least nine people were injured, two of whom are critical, when a stage collapsed at the Puttingal Devi temple at Paravur on Monday.

The two who are in serious condition sustained severe injuries to their head and backbone, and have been rushed to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. The others are currently in Parippally Medical College Hospital and Nedungolam Taluk Hospital, said a Manorama report.

The stage was under construction outside the temple, and it had not been financed by the temple committee.

The work on the stage had started a few months ago, and the police said that workers were putting the finishing touches on the roof, which was made of concrete, when the accident occurred.

A case has been registered against the contractors under sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.

“The contractor was negligent. He should have ensured better-quality materials were used while constructing the stage,” said Baiju, a senior civil police officer in Paravur.

The temple has already witnessed one major tragedy in the past, when a blast during a fireworks display, during the annual festival, killed over 100 people and injured scores of others in 2016.