A section of a government school building collapsed in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district on Friday morning, leaving seven children dead and at least 26 others injured. The incident occurred during school hours, catching students and staff unawares.
The tragedy unfolded in a single-storey school located around 322 kilometers from Jaipur, the state capital. Over 60 pupils, teachers, and staff were inside the building when part of the structure gave way. According to police official Nand Kishore, emergency services and local villagers responded swiftly to rescue operations, pulling victims from beneath the rubble. Two of the injured students remain in critical condition.
Preliminary findings point to structural weakness, with locals alleging that warnings about the building’s condition had gone unheeded. Days of heavy rainfall are also believed to have contributed to the collapse, worsening the building’s already fragile state.
Rescue footage from the site showed teams using heavy machinery to remove debris as distraught parents and community members looked on. The children who lost their lives were between the ages of eight and eleven.
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, offering prayers for the bereaved families and wishing the injured a quick recovery. “My thoughts are with the affected students and their families in this difficult hour,” his office shared on X.
Rajasthan’s Education Minister, Madan Dilawar, has launched a high-level investigation into the cause of the collapse and directed local authorities to ensure the victims receive proper medical attention.
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of public infrastructure in India’s rural schools, where decades-old buildings often suffer from neglect, lack of funding, and inadequate maintenance. Officials have yet to determine if lapses in oversight or administrative negligence contributed to the tragedy.
