A stage set up to welcome Rajasthan minister Heeralal Nagar in Sangod, caved in and collapsed, leaving as many as four BJP workers injured.

Rajasthan News: In an unsavoury turn of events at a celebratory function in Rajasthan’s Kota, a stage set up to welcome first-time minister Heeralal Nagar in Sangod, caved in and collapsed, leaving as many as four BJP workers injured.

Heeralal Nagar, who was recently appointed Minister of State with independent charge in Chief Minister Bhajan Sharma’s cabinet, was on the maiden visit to his constituency since assuming the role of state minister.

Visuals of the incident shared on social media platforms showed the stage collapsing while the minister was being felicitated, sending all forty people standing on the platform, including Nagar, violently crashing down to the ground.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

कोटा में राज्यमंत्री हीरालाल नागर के स्वागत समारोह में टूटा मंच

• मंत्री नागर, सांगोद प्रधान सहित 5 लोगों को आई चोट, दो की हालत बताई जा रही गंभीर#kota #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/LiKRMMbYsy

— Avdhesh Pareek (@Zinda_Avdhesh) January 4, 2024

The incident took place on Thursday evening. As the minister climbed up the stage set up at Gayatri Circle in Sangod for his welcome, several party workers followed him, party sources said, according to a PTI report.

While the Sangod MLA was being garlanded, the stage suddenly caved in and collapsed within seconds, causing the minister and party workers to fall with it, they added.

They said that four BJP workers were injured in the mishap and the felicitation ceremony was called off following the unexpected turn of events.

The Minister, Heeralal Nagar, however, escaped unscathed and did not suffer any severe injury, they said.

The injured Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were identified as Jaiveer Singh, Mahendra Sharma, Manoj Sharma and Chandra Prakash Soni. They were rushed to a local hospital, from where two of them– who sustained more critical injuries– were referred to the MBS hospital in Kota.

Speaking to news agency PTI on Friday morning, Nagar said he escaped severe injury in the mishap, however, he suffered a cramp in the muscles.

Soni and Mahendra Sharma suffered critical fractures and are being taken to a hospital in Jaipur for better medical care, he added.

According to the party sources, the stage was built to carry up to 15 persons, however, around 40 persons reportedly reached the stage with Nagar, causing it to collapse.

Officials said the exact cause of the stage collapse is being ascertained but overcrowding the platform is likely the most significant reason for the cave in.

(With PTI inputs)