A few panels of the false ceiling along with bricks fixed on the roof of the paediatric ward of the General Hospital here collapsed on Monday morning.
The building was opened to the public two weeks ago after renovation.
No one was injured in the incident, though there were some patients inside the structure when it collapsed, District Medical Officer K. Renuka said.
Stray monkeys were a threat to the public in the area and a troupe of monkeys had sneaked onto the ceiling of the ward had created the mess, Dr. Renuka said. However occupants of the ward had been shifted to another building in the hospital premises, she added. The ward would be opened for the public after erecting iron grills on windows to keep the monkeys at bay, she added.
Eyewitnesses said children and their parents were present in the building when the accident occurred. Following the incident, local people staged a demonstration on the hospital premises accusing the authorities of not ensuring quality while renovating the building.
