Rajasthan School Collapse: Students Alerted Teachers Minutes Before Roof Crumbled, But They Ignored, Says Report

Jhalawar: At least seven students lost their lives, while several others were injured after the roof of Piplodi Primary School collapsed in Rajasthan's Jhalawar on Friday, July 25. A day after the tragic incident, reports surfaced that the students had alerted teachers about cracks in the wall. However, the teachers did not take them seriously and scolded them, reported India Today.

"Pebbles were falling. When the students told the teachers, they scolded them and kept having breakfast. If the children were taken out, the accident would not have happened," a student of the school told the media house.

As per the report, the teachers were having breakfast outside the area where the roof collapsed. "The children were made to sit inside the class for prayer. The teachers were having breakfast. When pebbles started falling inside, the children told the teachers. The teachers scolded the children and asked them to sit back in class," an eighth-class student told India Today.

"After that, the wall gave way and the roof fell on the children. Many children ran here and there to escape, with many getting buried under the rubble. After that the children were taken out with the help of the villagers," the student added.

Notably, the school building was reportedly in poor condition. Almost a month ago, cement was applied, and plastering was done, as per the report citing sources.

A portion of a government school in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district collapsed on Friday just as the students were assembling for morning prayers, killing seven children and leaving 28 injured. The part of the Piplodi Government School building housing classes 6 and 7 gave way, burying about 35 children, police said, as reported by PTI.

Villagers, along with the family members of the deceased, despite being persuaded by officials, staged protests and blocked roads at Guradi Circle and outside SRG Hospital in Jhalawar.