Hospital building collapse: Protests seeking Minister Veena George''s resignation continue in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram/Palakkad | Protests seeking resignation of Kerala Health Minister Veena George, over the death of a woman in the collapse of a part of the Kottayam Medical College two days ago, continued on Saturday with the Congress' women's wing holding a march to the Palakkad district hospital.

The Mahila Congress workers with their mouths tied shut with a black cloth marched to the Palakkad district hospital carrying banners and placards seeking George's resignation.

The protestors alleged that the minister was responsible for the death of 52-year-old Bindu and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.

At around 11 am, the Youth Congress is expected to hold a protest march to George's official residence in the state capital, seeking her resignation.

Bindu (52) died and three others -- Aleena (11), Amal Pradeep (20), and Jinu Saji (38) -- were injured in the incident.

Protests were witnessed on Friday in several parts of the state by the opposition Congress, BJP and their various wings demanding the minister's resignation.

While the Congress and BJP termed the death as "tantamount to murder", state Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan said such allegations were "politically motivated".

Later in the day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government will strengthen all precautionary measures to ensure that such "unfortunate and painful" incidents do not recur.

The toilet complex adjacent to wards 10, 11, and 14 at Kottayam Government Medical College collapsed on Thursday while the hospital was in the process of fully shifting operations to the newly constructed surgical block.

Bindu from Thalayolaparambu in Kottayam district was pulled out from the debris more than two hours after the incident and was declared dead.