Rajasthan School Tragedy: Students Alerted But Teachers Ignored Pleas, 5 Suspended

Students had warned teachers about falling debris, but were ignored. Negligence is suspected as the building was known to be in poor condition.

A primary school building collapsed during assembly, killing seven children and injuring others in Jhalawar, Rajasthan.

Source : PTI

Seven children died and over a dozen were injured after a primary school building collapsed during morning assembly in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district on Friday. Shockingly, the students had alerted their teachers to falling pebbles minutes before the roof caved in — but were allegedly scolded and told to return to class.

“The children said pebbles were falling from the roof. The teachers dismissed their warnings and kept having breakfast,” an eighth-grade student told India Today TV.

The tragedy struck the Government High Primary School in Pimplod, where students from Classes 1 to 8 had gathered. According to eyewitnesses, the structure was in visibly poor condition. Although cosmetic repairs had been carried out a month ago, the walls and roof remained dangerously fragile.

Teachers Supsended 

In the wake of the incident, five teachers were suspended for criminal negligence. Villagers rushed in to pull children from the debris and helped transport the injured to the nearest health centre.

"We had complained earlier about the building’s condition. No one listened," a grieving relative said.

District Collector Ajay Singh Rathore acknowledged prior warnings and confirmed that an inquiry has been launched. “There was clear negligence. Orders were already in place to prevent the use of unsafe buildings,” he said.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje expressed sorrow, calling the incident “heartbreaking” and demanding accountability.

Rahul Gandhi Calls For Probe 

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, raised concern over the incident and called for a fair investigation into the incident. 

"The collapse of a government school roof in Jhalawar, Rajasthan, resulting in the death of several innocent children and injuries to many others, is extremely tragic and concerning," Rahul said in a post on X.

"According to media reports, the government ignored complaints about dilapidated schools, which led to the loss of these innocent lives. Most of these children were from the Bahujan community—do their lives hold no value for the BJP government?" he questioned. 

"A fair investigation of this incident must be conducted, and the guilty should be given the strictest punishment," the Congress leader said.