Government School's Roof Collapses In Rajasthan's Bharatpur; Students Escape Injury As Teacher Evacuates 40 Students

Jaipur: A shocking incident that has come to light, where nearly 40 students at a government primary school in the Phalodi district of Rajasthan miraculously escaped a classroom seconds before the concrete ceiling came crashing down.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:45 AM during the second period of the school day.

According to eyewitnesses, the structure, a wing of the building, began emitting distinct cracking sounds that caught the attention of the class teacher, Mr Ramesh Meena.

The "Golden Minute" of Evacuation

Realising the imminent danger as dust began to fall from the rafters, Mr Meena immediately halted his lesson and ordered the children to vacate the room.

"I saw a thin crack spreading across the main beam and heard a grinding noise," Meena told local reporters.

"I didn't think twice. I shouted for everyone to run to the open playground. The last student had barely crossed the threshold when the entire central slab gave way," he told further.

The collapse reduced the classroom to a pile of rubble, crushing desks, benches, and educational materials.

While the children were visibly shaken and several were treated for minor scrapes sustained during the frantic exit, no major injuries or fatalities were reported.

A Pattern of Neglect?

The collapse has sparked outrage and a fierce debate over the safety of rural educational infrastructure in Rajasthan.

Local villagers gathered at the school site shortly after the incident, expressing outrage over the negligence of the Public Works Department (PWD).

Preliminary reports suggest several factors contributed to the structural failure.

Seepage from unseasonably heavy rains in late February had weakened the lime-and-mortar joints of the ageing roof.

The school administration had reportedly filed three separate high-risk warnings with the district education office over the last 18 months, none of which resulted in structural reinforcement.

Initial inspections of the debris showed significant hollows in the wooden support beams, likely caused by long-term pest damage.

Government Action and Accountability

Following the incident, the Rajasthan Education Minister announced an immediate high-level inquiry.

"The safety of our children is non-negotiable," the Minister stated in a press release. "We have suspended the junior engineer responsible for this sector pending a full safety audit of all government schools in the district."

The state government has also announced a bravery commendation for Mr Ramesh Meena, whose presence of mind saved dozens of lives.

For now, classes for the affected students have been moved to a nearby community centre while the school undergoes a total structural evaluation.

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