CHENNAI/KATHMANDU: One Chennai college student died and nine others injured, three of them critically, when a suspension bridge over the Trishuli River near Kathmandu, Nepal, collapsed on Saturday.The deceased identified as Florence, a resident of Alandur area in Chennai was doing her Masters in Social Work at the Mar Gregorios Arts and Science College, West Mogappair. Forty three Social Work students from the collegee were on an educational tour to the Himalayan country. Two faculty members and two guides also accompanied the students.The principal of the college, P Prakasam, told Express that the students were on their last leg of the tour to Nepal. They were to leave for Chennai on Sunday and were on a sightseeing tour when the accident occurred. According to agency reports, the students had thronged the suspension bridge at Phisling village to take photos when a supporting pole snapped. Florence, apart from two other local, died in the accident. The college authorities told Express that three students - John of Manipur, Ramesh of Ambattur, Chennai, and Shijo Davis, a Keralite living in Chennai - were critically injured. Besides, three other students suffered fractures. However, the college faculty said that information reaching Chennai was in bits and pieces and the names of the injured could not be confirmed.Srijaya, one of the students who spoke to Express over phone said that the group was on its way to the town of Pokhara after completing an eight-day educational tour of Kathmandu where they visited several NGOs and studied their work. “Many of my classmates are injured. They have been taken to different hospitals. I do not know exactly how many would have suffered injuries,” she said in a shaky voice. “One of the faculty members is also injured,” she added before hanging up.Condoling the death, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa directed the Commissioner of Tamil Nadu House at New Delhi to contact the Indian Embassy in Nepal and make arrangements to bring the body back home at the earliest. The CM also ordered the authorities to provide treatment to the injured and trace the student who is missing.
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