Rajasthan: Another School's Roof Collapses, A Day After Tragedy In Jhalawar

A series of alarming school building collapses in Rajasthan has sparked public outrage and renewed concerns over the crumbling infrastructure of government-run schools. In the latest incident, the roof of a government primary school in Khariyawas village, located in the Degana region of Nagaur district, suddenly caved in. Fortunately, the building was empty at the time, averting what could have been a major tragedy.

This near-disaster follows a deadly roof collapse in Jhalawar district earlier this month, which claimed the lives of seven children and left 27 others injured, some critically. The incident took place at Piplodi Government School, where a section of the middle school building collapsed just minutes after the school day began. The victims were mostly students from Classes 6 and 7. The youngest child who died was only six years old.

Eyewitnesses at the scene described heartbreaking scenes of panic and chaos. As the building gave way, concrete slabs and debris fell on the students, trapping dozens underneath. Parents, teachers, and villagers rushed to the site, digging through the rubble with their hands in desperate rescue efforts. Police received the first alert around 7:45 a.m.

Following the Jhalawar tragedy, authorities suspended five school staff members and ordered a high-level investigation. However, locals say these measures are too little, too late. In Piplodi village, anger erupted into protests as residents accused the administration of gross negligence. Protesters blocked roads, burned tyres, and demanded accountability and compensation for the affected families.

"We warned officials about the poor condition of the school, but no one listened," said Balkishan, a resident who was near the site when the collapse occurred.

In Khariyawas, the close call has left parents terrified. "What if our children had been inside? Who would take responsibility?" asked a visibly shaken father.

These back-to-back incidents have exposed the fragile state of school infrastructure in rural Rajasthan, igniting public demand for immediate audits, urgent repairs, and long-term investment in the safety of educational institutions.