JAIPUR, India (BN24) — At least four children were killed and 17 others injured when the roof of a school building collapsed in India’s northwestern state of Rajasthan on Friday, according to local news reports and officials. Authorities fear dozens of students may still be trapped under the debris as emergency crews race against time in the ongoing rescue operation.
The incident occurred shortly after morning prayers at the school in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, where around 25 to 30 children had gathered in one of the classrooms. Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar confirmed the timing of the collapse during an interview with AajTak news channel.
A senior police officer, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the building was old and vulnerable to structural failure. Heavy rainfall in the region is believed to have weakened the roof and contributed to the collapse.
Television footage showed chaotic scenes at the site, with distraught family members wailing as rescuers worked amid the wreckage. A crane was deployed to lift mangled sections of the roof as authorities dug through rubble with hopes of finding survivors.
Local media outlets reported that 32 children had been rescued alive by early Friday evening. However, there was no official word yet on how many might still be trapped beneath the debris.
“The injured are being provided proper treatment,” Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma wrote on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his condolences and promising swift medical assistance for those hurt.
According to police official Amit Kumar, several of the injured children were in critical condition and receiving care at nearby hospitals. Kumar’s remarks were reported by the PTI news agency and published by the Economic Times.
As rescue workers continued their efforts through the afternoon, residents of the village remained on edge, with fears that the death toll could rise. The collapse has reignited concerns over the condition of aging school buildings in rural India, especially during the monsoon season when infrastructure is often strained.
Authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident and pledged to assess the structural safety of other schools in the region.
