Bengaluru: A 12-year-old schoolboy was killed after an airborne heavy firecracker landed on his head during the St. Sebastian festival at St. Lourdes Church in Cambridge Layout in Halasuru on Sunday night.

The police have identified the deceased as Dhanush Kumar who had come with his uncle Santhosh to see the festival. He is the son of Suresh Kumar, a resident of Tyagaraja Nagar, and was studying in class 6 at Delhi Public School.

Around 10 p.m., the organisers of the festival burst 30 firecrackers at once. The last one – a rocket – went up, but did not burst. It fell on Dhanush’s head.

Dhanush sustained a severe head injury and was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed, police said.

The police said that nearly 3,000 people had come from across the city to the festival, but the organisers had not taken any safety measures before bursting firecrackers. They blamed negligence for the mishap and said action will be taken based on a complaint by the family.

Family members of Dhanush, who had gathered at the Bowring Hospital, said they have been visiting the festival for the past seven years and alleged that no precautionary measures were taken: there was no ambulance, or fire and emergency service vehicle, or even a policeman.

The Halasuru police have registered a case against the organisers under Section 304(a) of the Indian Penal Code for death due to negligence. “We have summoned the organisers and will probe whether they had taken permission from the authorities concerned to burst firecrackers. If they had not, necessary action will be taken against them,” a police officer said.