LAKKI MARWAT: Three seminary students were killed and two others injured when roof of a room collapsed in Bannu on Tuesday, the police said.

The seminary was located near a police post in Kashu Pull area of Domel town. The local residents rushed to the seminary when they heard about the incident. Rescue teams were also dispatched to the locality to retrieve those trapped under the debris, an official said.

He said the roof caved in when some workers were busy spreading clay over it to prevent leaking during rains.

Assistant commissioner Syed Abrar Ali Shah supervised the rescue operation, the official said.

Bannu division commissioner Parweiz Sabatkhel confirmed the death of three students in the incident, saying the bodies and the two injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital.

The official said many parts of the district had received heavy rain on Monday night, and the roof of the seminary collapsed due to absorption of rainwater in its foundations.

He said Rescue 1122 teams and officials of district administration, police and revenue departments were dispatched to the area to launch the rescue operation and avert any further loss to human lives. A rescue 1122 official identified the deceased as Mehmood, 18, a resident of Noormandi Kallay, Shah Zain, 20, a resident of Dabak Syedkhel, and Faheemullah, 21, a resident of Patolkhel.

The injured included Rizwan, 22, a resident of Paindakhel, and Saeedullah, 18, a resident of Patolkhel.

The official said that the bodies were handed over to relatives after fulfilling medico-legal formalities.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2023