A severe dust storm swept through south Haryana on Thursday evening, claiming the lives of two boys in the Nuh district after walls they sought shelter behind collapsed under the force of fierce winds.
First Incident in Tapkan Village
In Tapkan village, a group of four children were playing in a field adjacent to the government senior secondary school when the storm intensified. Seeking refuge, they moved toward the school's boundary wall. A portion of the wall facing the playground gave way, burying them under debris. Villagers rushed to rescue the children. Mohammad Ayan (15) succumbed before reaching the hospital. Aashiq (13), Kamil (15), and Sufiyan (9) were injured and taken to Nalhar Medical College.
The school principal stated that the wall had shown no prior signs of weakness. He remarked, "The boundary wall was fine and had been built under a panchayat plan before my tenure. The storm was extremely severe, and the wind pressure unusually high. This was a natural disaster." Nearby infrastructure, including a water-supply transformer, also collapsed, and tree branches were broken. The principal advised that children should remain indoors during such weather, emphasizing this as his personal opinion.
Second Incident in Chandeni Village
In Chandeni village, nine-year-old Alshef died when a wall of his house collapsed during the same storm. Initial reports indicate that construction work was underway at the residence, and strong winds brought the structure down. He died on the spot.
Police arrived at both locations and initiated inquiries to determine whether negligence or poor construction contributed to the collapses. As of Friday, no FIR had been registered. Officials indicated that if a case is filed, it is likely to invoke charges such as causing death by negligence and causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety.
Near-Miss Incident on Pataudi-Rewari Highway
The storm also caused a near-miss near Chillar village bus stop on the Pataudi-Rewari highway. An iron reinforcement bar fell from an under-construction flyover onto a parked car, punching through the vehicle and tearing into the front passenger seat. No one was inside the car at the time.
A National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) official said preliminary findings suggested that a temporary shelter put up by workers was dislodged by high winds, causing a rod tied to it to be blown onto the road. "The project team immediately visited the site, secured the area, and began a detailed assessment. Preliminary observations indicate that the incident occurred during extreme weather," NHAI stated on Friday. The contractor has been directed to shift and secure temporary structures and strengthen safety measures across the site.
