Six students killed, over 30 injured in Rajasthan school building collapse
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Jaipur: At least six students were killed and more than 30 injured on Friday after a portion of the Peeplodi Government School building collapsed in Manoharthana block of Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district.
The collapse took place during school hours, while 35 students of Class 7 were inside a classroom that suddenly gave way. All the children were trapped under the debris until teachers and local villagers launched immediate rescue efforts and pulled out the injured. They were rushed to the Community Health Centre in Manoharthana.
Dr Kaushal Lodha confirmed that 11 of the critically injured children were referred to the district hospital in Jhalawar for advanced treatment.
At the time of the incident, 71 students were present in two classrooms of the school, which has a total of seven rooms. Two teachers were on the premises but were outside the building when the roof collapsed.
The deceased students have been identified as Payal (14), Priyanka (14), Kartik (8), Harish (8), and Meena Redas. One victim remains unidentified.
Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and said nearly Rs 200 crore is being allocated to repair and rebuild dilapidated school buildings. “Right now, our top priority is to ensure the injured children receive the best possible treatment and recover soon,” he said.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma also conveyed his condolences and has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident. The state government will cover all medical expenses for the injured, and senior officials have been sent to the site.
Local residents expressed anger, claiming that the school building had been in poor condition for a long time, worsened by continuous rainfall. They allege that repeated warnings to the authorities were ignored.
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also mourned the loss of lives, calling the incident “extremely distressing and heartbreaking”. He said he had requested a detailed report from the local administration and urged swift action.
“I pray for the speedy and complete recovery of the injured children. May the departed souls rest in peace, and may God grant strength and courage to the bereaved families during this difficult time,” he said.
