Five more children laid to rest after Lahore tuition centre roof collapse; five suspects detained

LAHORE: Funeral prayers were offered overnight and on Wednesday morning for more children who lost their lives in the roof collapse at a tuition centre in Lahore’s Kahna area, as police registered a criminal case over the tragedy and detained five people, including the building owner.

Funeral prayers for Mahnoor and Tasbeeh Shehzad were held on Wednesday morning at a local graveyard, while those for Iman, Urooj and Abdullah were offered late Tuesday night. Earlier, prayers were also held for four victims, Dua, Ghulam Nabi, Irtaza and Rimsha. Large numbers of relatives, residents and community members attended the funeral prayers, while Punjab Chief Minister’s Adviser Zeeshan Malik, Lahore Deputy Commissioner Capt (retd) Muhammad Ali Ijaz and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Talha Burki also attended the funeral of four of the victims.

Following the funerals, Zeeshan Malik visited the bereaved families on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to offer condolences. He assured them that the provincial government would provide all possible assistance and would stand by them during the difficult time.

With the latest burials, nine of the 14 children killed in the incident have now been laid to rest.

Police register case, detain five suspects

Police have registered a first information report (FIR) at Kahna police station on the complaint of the Enforcement Inspector of Nishtar Zone.

According to the FIR, 14 children were killed and eight others injured when the roof of the tuition centre collapsed. The report alleges that repair work was underway on the roof and that excessive weight during the work caused it to cave in, resulting in the fatalities.

DIG Operations Faisal Kamran said five people, including the owner of the building, had been taken into custody. He said legal action would be initiated after the investigation is completed.

Injured child out of danger

Meanwhile, 11-year-old Murtaza, who was injured in the collapse, remains under treatment at Children’s Hospital Lahore. Hospital authorities said the child is out of danger.

Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said Prof Tipu Sultan and Dr Shahid had been assigned to supervise the child’s treatment. He added that doctors had been directed to provide the injured boy with the best possible medical care.

‘Faulty construction’

More than 30 students were inside the makeshift academy, operating from a residential building in Basti Eidgah, when the structure caved in, trapping dozens beneath the debris.

Rescue workers, assisted by local residents and heavy machinery, recovered the victims after hours of search operations. Health authorities declared an emergency at Lahore General Hospital to treat the injured, all of whom were later reported to be in stable condition.

Initial investigations suggest the collapse was caused by faulty construction. Police said repair work was underway on the roof when a supporting girder failed under the added weight of mud filling and construction materials. Five people, including the building owner and contractor, have been detained, while a criminal case has been registered. The Punjab Forensic Science Agency has joined the investigation.

Authorities said the tuition centre was an unregistered facility operating illegally from a private residence. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz ordered criminal proceedings against those responsible. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed grief over the tragedy, offered condolences to the bereaved families and called for the injured to receive the best possible medical treatment.