Lucknow: Two minor boys died and eight others injured after the balcony of a house collapsed during a Muharram procession in Mahona area of Itaunja on Lucknow outskirts on Friday night.The incident occurred around 10:45pm when a Muharram procession was passing through the locality.According to police and local, Mushtaq had set up a stall outside his house to distribute food and refreshments to participants in the procession.Several children and residents, including Armaan and Ali, both 12-year-old, stopped at the stall. Some members of Mushtaq’s family were standing on the balcony overlooking the procession.The balcony suddenly gave way and crashed onto the people gathered below. Armaan and Ali were trapped under the debris and died on the spot. Locals and police rescued those trapped beneath the rubble and took them to Ram Sagar Mishra Hospital.Doctors referred four injured to the Trauma Centre after their condition was found to be critical.Senior police and administrative officials reached the site and supervised the rescue operation.“The debris was cleared, and an investigation has been launched into the cause of the collapse. Preliminary findings suggest the balcony may have collapsed due to excessive load as a large number of people were standing on it to watch the Muharram procession,” said Vikas Pandey, Assistant Commissioner of police, BKT.
