Rajasthan School Tragedy: Students’ Pleas Ignored Before Roof Collapse Killed Seven, Five Teachers Suspended

Jhalawar: A heartbreaking tragedy struck Pimplod village in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district on Friday morning, when the roof of a government school collapsed, killing seven children and injuring more than a dozen others. As grief blankets the village, shocking details have emerged about the events leading up to the incident — suggesting that the catastrophe might have been avoided had teachers acted on time.

According to initial accounts gathered from students and villagers, warnings were ignored by school staff. Moments before the collapse, several students reportedly noticed pebbles and small bits of plaster falling from the ceiling of the prayer hall and alerted their teachers. However, instead of evacuating the classroom, the teachers allegedly dismissed the concerns and told the children to remain seated.

“The students noticed something unusual — stones were falling. But the teachers told them to sit quietly and continued eating breakfast outside,” said one of the survivors, a student of Class 8. Shortly after, the roof gave way, burying the children under the debris. Panic ensued as students ran for cover and villagers rushed to the site to help rescue those trapped.

Locals pulled more than a dozen injured students from the rubble. Immediate medical assistance was provided, and the injured were shifted to the nearest health center.

According to India Today sources, the building had recently undergone superficial plastering, but its foundational structure remained in a dangerously deteriorated state. Villagers claim they had repeatedly complained about the condition of the school, but no action had been taken by the authorities.

In response to the public outrage, Jhalawar District Collector Ajay Singh Rathore ordered the suspension of five education department officials, including teachers, on grounds of negligence. He confirmed that prior instructions had been issued in June prohibiting the use of unsafe school buildings, but these warnings were not followed in this case.

“We had directed that children must not be seated in structurally weak buildings. An inquiry has been initiated, and further action will be taken based on the findings,” Rathore said.

Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also expressed her sorrow, calling the incident “deeply painful and tragic.” The state education department has promised financial assistance to the families of the victims and assured a structural audit of old school buildings across the district.