In an unfortunate incident highlighting negligence on the part of the Ranchi police, several students from a government middle school near Ranchi Police Line in Jharkhand had to endure a distressing situation on Saturday morning. The cause of their suffering was the unexpected exposure to tear gas fumes that spread into their classrooms during a police mock drill.
The Ranchi police had been conducting a mock drill in preparation for emergency situations during upcoming festivals. As part of the exercise, tear gas shells were fired to simulate real-life crowd control measures. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the smoke from the tear gas drifted into the school premises, creating panic among students and teachers.
The situation quickly escalated as the acrid smoke spread through the classrooms, causing severe irritation in the eyes of the students. Many of them began experiencing difficulty in breathing, coughing incessantly, and even collapsing due to exposure. Chaos ensued as students struggled to escape the suffocating environment.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, school authorities took immediate action to evacuate the students from their classrooms. Several children had to be rushed to Ranchi's Sadar Hospital for urgent medical attention. According to reports, around a dozen students were admitted for treatment, with most being discharged after receiving primary care. However, two girls remained hospitalized for further observation, though their condition was reported to be stable.
Dr. Jyotsna Prasad, the principal of the Government Middle School, recounted the horrifying moment when the incident took place. “We suddenly heard loud explosions, and within moments, a strong smell of tear gas spread through the classrooms. The children started coughing and experiencing severe discomfort. We immediately evacuated them to ensure their safety,” she stated. She also confirmed that the two hospitalized girls were improving.
As news of the incident spread, local authorities and political representatives took note. Ranchi BJP MLA C.P. Singh visited Sadar Hospital to check on the affected students and expressed his strong disapproval of the police’s decision to conduct a mock drill in close proximity to a school. “Such negligence is unacceptable. The police should have chosen a safer, less populated area to conduct the drill,” he remarked.
On the other hand, City Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajkumar Mehta defended the drill, asserting that all necessary precautions had been taken. He explained that a sudden change in wind direction caused the tear gas fumes to drift towards the school, which was approximately 100 meters away from the drill site. He also noted that the upper-floor windows of the school were open, allowing the gas to enter the classrooms more easily. Despite the incident, he reassured that all affected children were out of danger.
This mishap has raised concerns about the safety measures undertaken during police training exercises. Authorities may need to reconsider their choice of locations and implement stricter safety protocols to prevent such distressing incidents in the future.
