India
Roof Collapse in Kanpur Claims Three Lives, Including 20‑Day‑Old Baby
A roof made of bamboo, wooden beams and mud collapsed in a single‑storey house in the Panki Padav area of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday morning, killing three family members, including a 20‑day‑old baby. The deceased were Vinodini Shukla, 60, her daughter‑in‑law Anshika, 28, and the newborn grandson. Harsh Shukla, 32, who was also inside the room when the roof gave way, suffered minor injuries. The house, owned by 65‑year‑old Avadhesh Shukla, is about 35 years old and has four rooms. Neighbours and family rushed to remove debris and pulled the occupants out; they were taken to Kalyanpur Community Health Centre where doctors confirmed the deaths. A relative, Manoj Bajpai, said the family were doing morning chores on Diwali; Harsh and his mother were in the room, while Anshika was feeding the newborn and other family members, including Avadhesh’s son Raju, 29, were in another room when the collapse occurred. Police officer DCP West SM Qasim Abidi stated that water seepage likely increased the roof’s load. Bodies have been sent for post‑mortem examination, and a revenue team is present while legal proceedings continue.