On Friday, three-year old Abitha found herself in the ICU of a private hospital at Kakkanad in Kochi, after a ceiling-fan crashed down on her at the anganwadi that she attended. She sustained injuries on the head and nose.
Abitha happened to be alone in the room at the time of the accident that occurred around 10.30 in the morning. She was seated on a chair when the fan broke loose from its bearings and fell directly on her. In the impact, she toppled down along with the chair.
The anganwadi has a total of five children under its care and the caretaker had just stepped out of the room to pacify another wailing kid. The remaining three were yet to arrive.
On hearing Abitha’s cries, the anganwadi workers rushed her to a nearby hospital with the help of a car-driver who was passing by. They then informed her father –Manoj- who works at a restaurant. Sabitha is her mother and she has an older sibling. The family resides at a housing colony close to the NGO Quarters at Kakkanad.
Following the mishap, locals protested against the functioning of the anganwadi that was run out of a single ramshackled room in the area. They demanded the construction of a new building from where the anganwadi could function so as to ensure a safer environment for the children.
The Thrikkakara municipality has come forward to bear the medical expenses that would be incurred in the course of the child’s treatment.