Portion of Rajasthan University's science wing collapses

Jaipur, July 5 (IANS) A portion of a three-storey building that housed the University of Rajasthan's science laboratories for research scholars collapsed here about an hour before the classes were to start Thursday morning, police said. No one was injured.

Research papers of hundreds of students and expensive instruments were however destroyed in the accident, police said.

According to the police, the accident occurred about 8.30 a.m.

"The guard had opened the gates of the laboratories. A couple of students had also entered the building when they saw wide cracks in the rooftop. They ran outside five minutes before the building collapsed," a police officer said.

He added that a team of district administration and police rushed to the spot.

"No loss of life was reported, however, several students lost their research papers kept in the lockers there," said the officer.

The collapse led to a protest by a group of students in the university. They gathered the vice-chancellor's office and shouted slogans alleging negligence on part of the university administration.

"The university has constituted a three-member committee to look into the mishap," a university official said.