Jaisalmer: Nine-year-old student has lost his life in Habur (Poonamnagar) village of Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan after school gate collapses resulting in the death of Arbaz Khan and injury to other student and teacher.
Reports reaching The Savera Times said that a teacher also sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the district hospital for treatment. The incident occurred around school opening time, when students were entering the premises.
Witnesses said that the main gate suddenly gave way and fell, burying young Arbaaz underneath. Panic gripped the school as teachers and local residents rushed to rescue him, but he succumbed to his injuries on the spot. The injured teacher’s condition is said to be stable.
The tragedy has once again exposed the crumbling infrastructure of government schools in the state. Locals claim that the gate had been in a dilapidated condition for a long time and repeated complaints were made to the administration, but no action was taken.
Following the incident, enraged villagers and Arbaaz’s family staged a protest outside the school, placing the boy’s body at the gate. They demanded accountability and strict action against the officials responsible for ignoring repeated warnings.
According to the grieving family and residents, this avoidable accident is the direct result of continued apathy and negligence. The incident has raised serious questions about the safety of students in government-run schools, especially in rural areas.
With two major school infrastructure-related accidents in Rajasthan within days, demands for urgent audits and immediate repair of dilapidated school buildings are gaining momentum.
Rajasthan Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully demanded safety audits of schools in the state from Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.
He said that the news of the tragic death of an innocent student and the serious injury of a teacher is extremely saddening and heartbreaking.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved family and pray for the swift recovery of the injured teacher,” he said.
He further added that the incident once again highlights the alarming condition of government school buildings across the state.
“This accident raises serious concerns about the safety of our children and staff in educational institutions. I urge the Chief Minister to take immediate cognisance of this matter and direct a comprehensive safety audit of all government school buildings in the state,” he said.