Rajasthan: 8-year-old dies as goalpost falls in school​

An eight-year-old boy died after a handball goalpost collapsed on him at a Jaipur school during playtime. The incident sparked outrage over safety negligence. Police have launched a probe as grieving family and locals demand accountability from authorities

Jaipur, April 20 (IANS) An eight-year-old student lost his life after a handball goalpost collapsed on him during school hours at St. Anthony School on Monday in Rajasthan, triggering shock and grief.​

The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. within the jurisdiction of the Goverdhan Vilas police station. The child, Maharth Raj Singh (8), a Class 3 student, sustained severe head injuries after the pole fell on him while he was playing on the school grounds.​

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According to police officials, the child was hanging from a handball goalpost along with other students when it suddenly toppled.

He lost balance, and the pole fell directly onto his head. He was immediately rushed to MB Hospital, where doctors attempted emergency treatment. However, he succumbed to his injuries around 2:00 p.m.​

Maharth was the only son of his parents. His father, Devendra Pal Singh Chauhan, reportedly collapsed upon seeing his child at the hospital and is currently under treatment. Family members were later informed, and the child’s body was kept in the mortuary for a post-mortem.​

Assistant Sub-Inspector Pratap Singh said the child was a resident of RK Puram, Titaradi, and his father works in the real estate sector.​

School Principal William D’Souza stated that the incident took place during the games period. He said staff members were informed that a child had been injured while playing, and the student was immediately rushed to the hospital. Staff attempted CPR, and doctors also made every effort to revive him.​

According to the school, the goalpost is a movable structure that is usually kept aside and brought to the court during play. At the time of the incident, multiple children were reportedly hanging from it when it lost balance and fell.​

Following the incident, relatives of the deceased and members of Karni Sena gathered outside the hospital mortuary and raised concerns over alleged negligence by the school administration. A heated exchange took place between family members and representatives of private school associations.

The family questioned the school’s safety measures and demanded accountability. After discussions between the family and school authorities, the body was handed over to the relatives.​

The last rites will be conducted at the family’s ancestral village, Umbada, in Banswara district. Police have initiated an investigation into the incident to determine whether there was any negligence in the school’s safety arrangements.