Thrikkakara municipality installing fencing along road after fatal fall of girl triggers protests

Three days after a 12-year-old girl died after falling nearly 20 feet from an elevated municipal road while riding her bicycle at Mavelipuram in Kakkanad, the Thrikkakara municipality has begun constructing a protective fencing along the accident stretch, amid mounting criticism over alleged negligence in providing safety measures.

The municipality decided to erect the fencing using its own funds after the death of Rihana Kathrine Andrews, a Class VII student, on Sunday (June 21, 2026) sparked widespread outrage and safety concerns. She was riding her bicycle near her residence when she lost control and fell into the premises of an apartment complex below after the cycle hit the edge of the elevated road.

The girl succumbed to severe head injuries. Local people in the area, including residents of the flat complex, had alleged that the municipality had raised the road level and laid interlocking tiles without installing adequate protective barriers despite the sharp drop along the stretch.

Municipal chairperson Rashid Ullampilly said the local body had issued a show-cause notice to the official responsible for the delay in acting on the representation seeking a protection wall at the accident site. “Along with putting up a fencing at the site, we have initiated measures to prevent similar incidents elsewhere. An official has been assigned to identify other hazardous locations within the municipality, and fencing or protective barriers will be installed wherever required,” he said.

The opposition Left Democratic Front’s councillors and activists of the Democratic Youth Federation (DYFI) had staged a sit-in in front of the PWD wing of the municipality on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) , accusing the civic body of criminal negligence. On Wednesday (June 24, 2026), Students Federation of India activists also took out a protest march to the municipal office.

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has filed a complaint with the Thrikkakara police seeking to register a case against the municipality. “We have registered a case over unnatural death, and further actions will be taken based on all aspects including reports from the departments concerned,” a police officer said.

SHRC orders probe

Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Wednesday ordered a high-level probe into the incident. SHRC Chairperson Alexander Thomas ordered the District Collector to assign an officer of the rank of Revenue Divisional Officer or Sub-Collector to inspect the site. An Assistant Commissioner of Police and a PWD engineer selected by the Collector also should take part in the inspection. The Collector, Principal Secretary to the Local Self-Government department, and Thrikkakara municipal secretaries have been asked to submit separate reports to the Commission on the incident within four weeks.