At least four children have died and 17 others were injured on Friday after the roof of a school building collapsed in India’s western state of Rajasthan, local media reports say. Rescue efforts are still underway amid fears that more students may be trapped beneath the rubble.
The incident occurred shortly after morning prayers, with between 25 to 30 students reportedly inside the classroom when the structure gave way. Rajasthan’s Education Minister, Madan Dilawar, told AajTak news outlet that the collapse was sudden and may have been triggered by ongoing heavy rainfall in the region.
A local police officer, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the school was housed in an old building and likely succumbed to pressure from the rain-soaked roof.
Television footage captured frantic rescue operations, with emergency responders using cranes and digging through debris, while anguished family members waited nearby. Authorities said 32 students have so far been pulled out of the wreckage.
Rajasthan State Governor Bhajanlal Sharma expressed condolences to the victims’ families and stated via X (formerly Twitter) that emergency medical attention is being provided to the injured. Some of the children are reported to be in critical condition, according to police official Amit Kumar, as quoted by the Economic Times.
The tragedy has reignited concerns over the safety of aging infrastructure in government schools, especially during India’s monsoon season when structural failures are more likely.
