How Did a Rajasthan School Tragedy Claim Six Young Lives?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Six children cremated together in a tragedy that shook Piplodi village.
- Government's ex gratia payment and job offers for bereaved families.
- Public outrage following the incident highlights the demand for school safety reforms.
- The collapse resulted from inadequate infrastructure in government schools.
- Ongoing investigations aim to determine accountability for the tragedy.
Jaipur, July 26 (NationPress) The village of Piplodi, located in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district, was enveloped in profound grief on Saturday as six out of the seven children who tragically perished in the school building collapse were cremated together.
One child was taken to the adjacent village of Chandpura Bhilan for their final rites. As the six bodies reached Piplodi early in the morning, the air was filled with heart-wrenching cries. The silence of mourning echoed with the screams of anguish as families and villagers gathered to pay their last respects to the innocent young lives.
In the presence of the Superintendent of Police and other officials, the families received the bodies at 5:00 AM. The deceased were transported from Manohar Thana Hospital to their homes in separate vehicles. The village atmosphere turned chaotic with the arrival of the bodies, as profound sorrow gripped every household. Preparations for the cremation had begun even before the bodies arrived.
The remains were swiftly taken to the cremation site near the accident location, accompanied by a heavy police presence. A particularly tragic moment arose as the bodies of siblings Kanha and Meena were carried together on a single bier. The final rites for all six children were conducted at the cremation ground on five pyres, lit by their fathers as tears flowed freely amidst the flames.
The seventh child was cremated in Chandpura Bhilan. Piplodi village is now shrouded in grief and anger. In two families, the only child was lost, while another family suffered the devastating loss of both children.
The deceased, aged between 7 and 10 years, hailed from families struggling with poverty. Many parents are daily wage laborers, now shattered by the loss of their little ones.
In a compassionate move following the catastrophic collapse of a government school building in Jhalawar’s Manoharthana block, the Rajasthan government has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh and a contractual job opportunity for the families of the seven children who tragically lost their lives.
Furthermore, classrooms in newly constructed school buildings will be named in honor of the deceased students. This devastating incident occurred on Friday when a section of the Piplodi Government School building collapsed, resulting in the deaths of seven children and injuries to 21 others, with nine remaining in critical condition.
Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar visited the injured at SRG Hospital in Jhalawar, stating, “I take full responsibility for this incident.”
Following an initial inquiry, the Education Department has suspended five teachers, including the headmaster of the school.
Public outrage has surged after the incident, with villagers protesting at Burari intersection in Manoharthana, resulting in stone-pelting at police personnel and damage to police vehicles.