Gangtok: A host of VIPs including the Chief Justice of India V N Khare, Sikkim Governor V Rama Rao, Chief Minister P K Chamling and Chief Justice of the State R K Patra had a narrow escape as the pandal under which they were sitting collapsed due to heavy rains minutes after they left it.

Justice Khare was here today (Feb 28, 2004) to inaugurate the new building of Sikkim High Court.

Rain played spoilsport since the outset and invitees kept shifting their seats to save themselves from the rains which streamed in through the leaky pandal roof.

Khare was sitting flanked by Patra, Rao, Chamling and a host of State Ministers. Senior Government officials and about 400 people were present at the function.

Khare, accompanied by Patra, Chamling and Rao, moved up to the dais to start the inaugural ceremony but the rain, falling more heavily than before, began seeping in through all over the pandal roof. This forced the VIPs sitting on the dais to move to another wing of the High Court.

Hardly five minutes after the entire pandal collapsed noisily along with its supporting bamboos under the weight of the rainwater accumulated on its roof.

The inaugural ceremony of the new building was then carried out in one of its rooms in the building itself.

Rains are common in the Sikkim hills in February and March and today's shower affected the telecommunication lines in its capital town.