Indian-origin student at UC Berkeley Bandna Bhatti paralyzed after 12-feet fall, 911 was called 7 hours later

An Indian-origin student of the University of California, Berkeley, had her dreams shattered after she fell at least 12 feet at a fraternity house party. Doctors said Bandna Bhatti , the 21-year-old student, was paralyzed from the waist down after she slipped and fell from an external metal staircase at the Phi Kappa Tau house. Her family has been seeking help for her medical care.

According to reports, after the tragic fall, Bandna remained there for 15 minutes until she was discovered by her friends who pulled her inside but the frat house allegedly told them to leave and so Bhattu was brought to a nearby apartment as her friends did not understand the extent of her injury. 911 was not called until seven hours after the fall.

“Our beloved sister, Bandna, only 21 years old, was just three weeks away from graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in Data Science — a milestone she had worked so hard for — when our world was turned upside down,” her sister Sonya Bhatti wrote in a GoFundMe page created to raise money for the college senior’s medical care.

UC Berkeley student severely injured at fraternity house

A University of California Berkeley student who was just weeks away from graduating suffered serious injuries at a fraternity house party. The senior, 21-year-old Bandna Bhatti, reportedly fell from the frat house. pic.twitter.com/gXIuj2UcHW

— Brett Murphy (@brettmurphyx) May 3, 2025

Apart from paralyzing spinal fracture, Bhatti also sustained tearing of the dura with spinal fluid leakage, a scapular fracture, and a brain hematoma.

Police are looking into the incident but have not revealed any details of the investigation.

The university issued a statement and offered support to Bhatti. “UC Berkeley is aware of an ongoing police investigation regarding reports of a student being injured near or at a fraternity,” UC Berkeley said in a statement to PEOPLE. “Our thoughts are with the student, their family, loved ones and friends during this time. We are following our protocols to offer support to the student and their family.”

“Bandna is a brilliant, compassionate, and resilient young woman who has worked tirelessly toward her dreams. Now, she faces a long and difficult road ahead,” the GoFundMe reads.