Six-Year-Old Girl Dies In Kolkata’s Hastings After Street Lamp Fixture Falls On Her

A tragic incident in the Hastings area of central Kolkata claimed the life of a six-year-old girl on Monday morning after a component of a streetlight allegedly detached and fell on her while she was playing near her home. The incident has sparked serious concerns over civic safety and the maintenance of public infrastructure in the busy locality. Locals and the victim’s family have blamed negligence by authorities for the fatal accident. Police have begun an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The deceased has been identified as Gudiya Khatun, a resident of a densely populated neighbourhood where several families live in close proximity. According to police sources, the incident occurred around 7 a.m., shortly after the child had stepped out to play near her residence, as she reportedly did every morning. She was playing under a multi-light street lamp post when one of its fixtures allegedly became loose and fell directly onto her head.

Witnesses and family members said the impact of the falling metal fixture caused severe head injuries to the child. She collapsed immediately, bleeding heavily at the spot, and was rushed in an emergency condition to SSKM Hospital by family members and nearby residents. Despite efforts to provide urgent medical attention, doctors at the hospital declared her brought dead upon arrival due to the seriousness of her injuries.

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Following the incident, residents of the area raised strong allegations of negligence against the civic authorities responsible for maintaining street infrastructure. Locals claimed that the streetlight structure appeared poorly maintained, with reports suggesting that one of the fittings was loosely attached and not properly secured. They demanded accountability and immediate inspection of all similar lamp posts in the area.

Police officials have cordoned off the accident site and initiated a detailed investigation into the cause of the failure of the streetlight fixture. Authorities are examining whether routine maintenance checks were carried out and if any structural damage had been previously reported or ignored. Statements from witnesses and local residents are also being recorded as part of the inquiry.

The incident has left the local community deeply shaken, especially in a densely populated area where children frequently play in narrow lanes and open spaces near residential structures. Residents have urged the civic body to urgently audit public lighting systems to prevent such accidents in the future. Officials are expected to submit a preliminary report after inspecting the site and assessing maintenance lapses, if any.

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