JHALAWAR– A tragic school building collapse in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district claimed the lives of at least four children on Friday, while ten others were rescued and rushed to hospitals, several in critical condition. Officials fear more students may still be trapped under the debris.
The collapse occurred at a government-run Higher Primary School in Piplodi village, located in the Manoharthana area of the district. According to authorities, the roof of the dilapidated school building gave way during school hours, catching dozens of students off guard.
State Education Minister Madan Dilawar expressed deep sorrow over the incident and announced a high-level investigation. “Strict orders have been issued to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured students,” he said. “I have also ordered a thorough probe into the cause of this heartbreaking tragedy. District officials are on-site.”
Jhalawar Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar confirmed that ten children have been admitted to the hospital in Jhalawar, with three to four reported to be in critical condition.
Eyewitnesses described a horrifying scene. With over 50 students present at the time, the roof suddenly collapsed, likely weakened by heavy rainfall in recent days. The sound of crumbling concrete was followed by panic and screams as dust and rubble enveloped the classrooms.
Villagers and school staff immediately sprang into action, using their bare hands to clear debris and pull children from the wreckage before emergency services arrived. Many of the injured were transported to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Manoharthana using private vehicles.
Rescue operations were launched swiftly, with police, district administration, disaster response teams, and JCB machines working together to clear the site and search for survivors. As of the latest reports, efforts to locate all trapped individuals are ongoing.
Emergency medical teams have been deployed both at the site and in nearby hospitals. The district collector and senior officials have instructed medical facilities to provide round-the-clock care to all injured children.
The incident has once again highlighted concerns over the safety of aging school infrastructure, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas. Authorities have pledged accountability and swift action to prevent such tragedies in the future. (Source: IANS)
