Jhalawar School Collapse: Students Say Teacher Ignored Warnings, Was Busy Eating 'Poha' | WATCH

Seven children died and 27 were injured in a Rajasthan school roof collapse on July 25, 2025, after students' warnings were reportedly ignored.

Students Killed in Jhalawar School Building Collapse (PHOTO: IANS)

Seven of them died and 27 were injured on July 25, Friday, when a part of a government school building crashed in the Jhalawar district of Rajasthan just a few minutes before the morning assembly was to begin. The victims were between 6 and 12 years old and included Payal (12), Priyanka (12), Kundan (12), Harish (8), Kartik, and siblings Meena (12) and Kanha (6).

Testimonies by surviving students depict a bleak scene of accused negligence. One student narrated to media the terrifying events before the disaster. "When we arrived at school, the teacher instructed us to stay behind in the class for morning prayers. Then some stones began falling from the roof. A student immediately alerted the teacher, who replied, 'Nothing was falling.' The roof collapsed thereafter. I managed to escape, but other students were stuck inside."

#WATCH | Rajasthan | On the Jhalawar school roof collapse, two students of the school say, "While we were sitting inside the classroom, stones started falling from the roof. Immediately, we informed our teacher, but what we said was ignored. Later, the roof collapsed." pic.twitter.com/nXlVRkGHKD — ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2025

One other student alleged that a teacher was allegedly involved in having 'poha,' a common morning breakfast, when the roof collapsed. Students also averred that they had persistently complained about the decay of the building, but nothing was done by the school administration.

Five school officials have been suspended after the building collapsed. Ajay Singh, the Collector of the district, said that the education department was recently asked by the district administration to identify and report any old and dilapidated school buildings, but this particular school was not in the list.

After the accident, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma summoned a high-level meeting, instructing officials to make sure that no school building in the state is dilapidated.

Condolences from national leaders flowed in. President Droupadi Murmu tweeted her condolences, saying, "The news of the roof of a school falling in Jhalawar, Rajasthan, killing and injuring many students, is very tragic. I pray that God gives courage to the bereaved families to withstand this tragedy."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also referred to the incident as "tragic" and "deeply saddening." He further said, "My thoughts are with the injured students and their families in this hour of distress. Praying for the quick recovery of the injured. Authorities are giving all possible help to the affected."

The tragedy has evoked common indignation and renewed demands for adequate immediate structural examination of all government school buildings throughout the state in a bid to ensure such disasters never recur.