Two students were injured when plaster from the ceiling of a government primary school classroom collapsed in Hapur district, Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Saturday. The school has been sealed, and the district administration has established an inquiry committee to probe the incident.
The District Magistrate (DM) of Hapur, Abhishek Pandey told The Indian Express that the incident happened at around 11:30 am, when the plaster from a part of the roof fell down.
“There are a total of 181 students enrolled at the school, and 15 students were present in the classroom at the time. Two children sustained minor injuries. They were taken to a nearby hospital for examination, and after receiving first aid, they were returned to their parents,” the DM Pandey said.
According to the police, a team of officials rushed to the spot and removed the debris. “We were informed about the incident by the Gram Pradhan between 12pm to 1pm and we reached the spot within 15 minutes,” said the Station House Officer, Babu Garh, Mahender Singh.
DM Pandey described the incident as serious, noting the issuance of a fitness certificate to the school. “This is a very serious matter because, at the beginning of each academic session, we conduct a thorough inspection of all the schools in the district and issue a certificate confirming that the school is fit for children to study. We have established an inquiry committee to determine how the fitness certificate was issued to the school in the first place,” said Pandey.
He also mentioned that the administration is conducting a district-wide inspection of all schools to verify their status. Once the inquiry committee submits its report, we will review it and take action against those responsible.
“The committee,” he said, “has been formed under the District Magistrate and includes officials from the Public Works Department as well as officials from the administrative and technical departments. They will be investigating the structural integrity of the building and reviewing the fitness certificate issued for the school.”
