7 Children Dead, Several Injured In Jhalawar School Roof Collapse

The collapse was caused by the weakened condition of the building, which had been affected by continuous rainfall over the past few days.

File Photo
Locals during rescue work after a government school building collapsed in Jhalawar district, Rajasthan, Friday, July 25, 2025. At least four students were killed and 17 others suffered injuries in the incident.
info_icon

The students of Peeplodi Government School in Manoharthana were gathered for the morning assembly when the roof of classes 6 and 7 caved in, trapping 35 people, primarily students.

Police told PTI that the rescue operation is underway and they are pulling out children from the debris with the help of teachers and villagers.

The injured students were taken to the Manoharthana Primary Health Centre (CHC), where doctors declared four of them dead. Three others who were brought in a critical condition were declared dead in the hospital, while two are still receiving treatment, The Indian Express reported.

The injured were taken to the Jhalawar Hospital and the Manoharthana health centre. A doctor at the district hospital said nine of the injured were in the Intensive Care Unit, reported PTI.

Why it happened

Initial reports suggest that the collapse was caused by the weakened condition of the school building, which had been affected by continuous rainfall over the past few days The Indian Express reported.

Angry locals said they had informed the tehsildar and sub-divisional magistrate about the condition of the school building but no action was taken. "This happened due to negligence of the administration," Balkishan, a local resident, told PTI.

Balkishan was sitting on the roadside close to the school when he heard a loud noise, turned around to see that a portion of the building had collapsed in a cloud of dust and debris. The sounds of children screaming broke through the noise.

"I, along with others present there, immediately rushed to the building and started removing slabs and stones in order to rescue the children. There was chaos. Children were crying and everyone was making efforts to pull them out. Many of us rushed the injured students to the health centre," Balkishan said.

According to Jhalawar Collector Ajay Singh, however, the district administration had recently instructed the education department to give information about any dilapidated school building but this one did not figure in the list.

"I will get it investigated and action will be taken against whoever is found guilty," Singh told PTI.

Anxious families gathered outside the district hospital, amid the cries of a man whose son was among the injured. He alleged that people had taken the children to hospital for treatment before government help reached them.

According to one student, tree branches had grown into the walls of the school and there was persistent water seepage.

Recounting the events of the morning, Dulichand Lodha, a villager, said one classroom collapsed and the adjacent one got damaged. "The school building appears to be 30-40 years old. There were five classrooms and one office. After one portion collapsed, the district administration has razed the other parts so that there is no further incident," he said to PTI.

Reactions

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among those who condoled the loss of lives.

"The news of the collapse of a school roof in Jhalawar, Rajasthan, resulting in the death and injury of several students, is extremely tragic. I pray that God grants strength to the grieving families to bear this pain. I wish for the speedy recovery of the students injured in this accident," Murmu said in a post on X in Hindi.

The prime minister described the incident as tragic and deeply saddening.

"My thoughts are with the affected students and their families in this difficult hour. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected," he said reported PTI

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said in his condolence message that concerned officials had been directed to ensure proper treatment of the injured children. "May God grant a place to the departed divine souls in his lotus feet and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense sorrow," he said on X

Education Minister Madan Dilawar promised a high-level inquiry will be conducted into the incident. "A very unfortunate incident occurred in Piplod village in Jhalawar where roof of a school collapsed. I have instructed district collector and education officer to make all kinds of arrangements for treatment. The collector and other officers have reached the spot," he said on X

Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot hoped for the speedy recovery of the injured students.

"There are reports of many children and teachers getting injured due to the collapse of a government school building in Jhalawar's Manoharthana. I pray to God for minimum loss of life and speedy recovery of the injured, " he said on X.

Published At:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

×