Rajasthan: 5 students injured as portion of ceiling in Bundi school falls during I-Day event

During Independence Day celebrations at St. Paul’s School in Bundi, Rajasthan, part of a false ceiling collapsed, injuring five students. All received medical care and were discharged. Authorities sealed the auditorium and ordered an inquiry, amid recent school infrastructure safety concerns

Kota: A portion of a false ceiling at a private school’s auditorium in Rajasthan’s Bundi fell during Independence Day celebrations on Friday, leaving five students injured, officials said.

They were rushed to a hospital where two children, among the five, received stitches on their heads and were discharged after primary medical care, they said.

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“A portion of the false ceiling of the auditorium in St. Paul’s Senior Secondary school in Bundi fell on Friday morning when the Independence Day function was going on,” Chief District Education Officer (CDEO) Priti Bala Sharma told PTI.

The injured kids were identified as Aadira Panjwani (6), Aarna Jhakal (11), Shreshthi (10), Twinkle Soni (13) and Vinay Tehlwani (8), the officer said.

The children were not sitting directly under the portion of the false ceiling that fell; however, hard paper sheets of the false ceiling flung around, she added.

According to the officials, 350 students, 250 parents and 49 staff members were present in the school when the incident occurred.

The technical team of the district education department has surveyed the spot and an inquiry into the matter has been ordered. Meanwhile, the auditorium has been sealed, the CDEO said.

Sharma added the department had surveyed all government schools but private schools were left out. The auditorium and private school building, where the incident occurred, are in sound condition.

Meanwhile, State Education Minister Madan Dilawar has ordered an inquiry into the matter.

On July 25, a portion of a government school in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district collapsed just as the students were assembling for morning prayers, killing seven children and leaving 28 injured, some of them critically.