Students and officials of Dharanidhar Autonomous College in Jajpur look at the debris of the wall that collapsed on Friday. Telegraph picture

Jajpur, Aug. 23: Five students of Dharanidhar Autonomous College, including three girls, were inured when a portion of a newly constructed college building caved in at Keonjhar this afternoon.

The injured students have been identified as Jenamani Sardar and Sabita Badra of Plus Three first-year arts, Sangita Majhi and Bhuban Munda of Plus Two second-year arts and Debasish Moharana of Plus Two second-year science.

Initially, all of them were admitted to district headquarters hospital.

But later, two students, whose condition turned critical, had to be shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

The incident took place at 12.10pm when the students were chatting near the administrative building of the college. The walls and beams of the building caved in allegedly due to poor standard of construction.

Principal of Dharanidhar Autonomous College Golak Behari Rout said the new building was coming up over the existing administrative building of the college.

“The building was under construction when it collapsed today. Five students sustained injuries as the newly constructed wall and beams of the building caved in. We are extending all support to ensure that the injured get the best possible treatment,” said Rout.

“Majority of the students were attending classes at the time of the incident. Otherwise, more students would have been injured,” he said.

The public works department is carrying out the Rs 3.05-crore project, he said.

Irked over the incident, many students of the college today gheraoed the district collectorate at Keonjhar.

“The incident occurred due to poor quality of work. We demand stringent action against those responsible for the sub-standard quality of work,” said a student on condition of anonymity.