One Class II girl student of Government Primary School at Ranihat, Kirtinagar died while another girl student of the same class was injured when the toilet of the school collapsed on Tuesday. located near the new toilet, the toilet which collapsed had been in a dilapidated condition for long.
The incident occurred when the students went to the old toilet to relieve themselves. State primary education director Seema Jaunsari expressed shock over the incident, saying that the tragedy happened despite all the school principals and heads of the educational institutions being earlier directed strictly not to have any dilapidated structure in the school premises.
The girls were extricated from the debris and taken to the primary health centre where one of them died during treatment while the other was stated to be out of danger.
The deceased has been identified as 8-year-old Archana, daughter of Ganesh, resident of Ranihat, while the injured student has been identified as 7-year- old Srishti, daughter of Jai Prakash also from Ranihat.
Tehri district education officer Ashok Gusain said that an inquiry has been constituted and the picture would become clearer after reports are submitted by the officials concerned in two days. He said that the district deputy education officer Vinod Singh has been deployed at the school and will report to the education department on Wednesday. Gusain further informed that there are two teachers in the school and around 15-20 students are being taught. Both the teachers were present in the school when the mishap occurred.
There are 1800 Government schools in Tehri district out of which around 100 school buildings are in dilapidated condition. School heads have been directed to refrain from using any dilapidated structure that may endanger the life of the students studying there.