Antop Hill mourns death of 2 ‘bright’ girls

Six-year-old Nandini Devendra was looking forward to going back to school after her summer holidays because she would meet her friends. She had even bought her new uniform and school bag on Monday.

Six-year-old Nandini Devendra was looking forward to going back to school after her summer holidays because she would meet her friends. She had even bought her new uniform and school bag on Monday.

HT Image

A day later, she was dead.

Nandini was one of the two girls who died when a wall collapsed on them at Kamraj Nagar in Antop Hill on Tuesday. Nandini and the other victim, Reema Nadar (12), were returning home from the public toilet adjacent to the wall.

Nandini died on the spot while Reema succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

Nandini’s aunt Jaya (30), who was with them, was injured.

“Nandini was excited to go back to school. She was happily displaying her new bag to her friends on Monday,” said Nandini’s uncle, Mutthu Devendra. Nandini’s father, Chinappa, manages a general store while her mother, Ambika, is a homemaker. The girls went to SIES School near King Circle and relatives said they were good at studies.

F-North ward officer Sanjay Kurhade said the wall was weakened due to continuous dumping of debris. “There was no approach road to the spot, and bringing a dumper in to remove the garbage was difficult,” Kurhade said. “We want the police to investigate whose negligence it was and book the culprit,” said Surendra Nadar, Reema’s relative.