3 days ago
Teenage girl killed in Rajasthan after balcony of under-construction school collapses on her
A teenage girl was killed and another injured after the balcony of an under-construction government school collapsed on them in Rajasthan's Udaipur district on Friday morning.
The incident took place in Pathar Padi village in the tribal-dominated area of Kotra. The two girls were grazing goats on the premises when the balcony collapsed. One of them died on the spot, while the other was taken to a hospital in Gujarat.
Following news of the girl's death, angry villagers staged a protest at the spot. Police and district administration officials arrived to control the situation. Speaking to the media, several villagers accused the administration of using sub-standard construction materials, which they alleged led to the collapse.
Speaking to The Indian Express, District Education Officer Bharti said, 'The building is being constructed by officials in charge of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. As per initial reports, two girls were grazing cattle and the balcony of the upper primary school, which is under construction, collapsed. One girl died, and the other is undergoing treatment. There is no educational activity ongoing on the premises. Students are studying in a building 100 metres away. An investigation is on.'
Reacting to the incident, Banswara Lok Sabha MP and Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) founder Rajkumar Roat wrote in a post on X in Hindi: '… Our country is celebrating its 79th Independence Day today, but the future of the nation is losing its life, crushed under the poorly constructed school due to the corrupt system of independent India.'
'This is the home assembly constituency of TAD Minister Babulal Kharadi. Poor construction right under the minister's nose has taken the life of an innocent today. Is this Amrit Mahotsav?' he added.
In another incident, five students were injured when a false ceiling collapsed at a private school in Bundi during an Independence Day function. The school administration has admitted the injured children to the district hospital.
One student received stitches while the others were discharged after receiving medical aid. Officials from the education department, police, district administration, and public representatives reached the hospital and enquired about the condition of the injured children.
These incidents come barely 20 days after a government school building collapsed in Jhalawar village, killing seven children and injuring 20 others.
