Two students of the Government Higher Primary Girls’ School at Yamkanmardi of Hukkeri taluk under Chikkodi education district were killed on the spot and eight students injured when a wall of a classroom collapsed on Monday morning.
The deceased have been identified as Shwetha Koli and Lagmavva Kattimani, both aged around 11 years and students of Standard V. The eight students, who suffered minor injuries, have been shifted to a local hospital, Gajanan Mannikeri, Deputy Director of Public Instruction, told The Hindu .
Twenty-three students were in the classroom when the wall collapsed suddenly. Shwetha and Lagmavva were sitting by the wall and came under the debris. The wall supposedly collapsed due to dampness, following continuous rainfall over the past four to five days.
Mr. Gajanan said the police and personnel from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services rushed to the spot and cleared the debris. A case has been registered at the Yamkanmardi police station. The school’s headmaster Mahadev Bhimgol has been suspended for failing to take up maintenance works on time. An inquiry has also been ordered into the incident.
As the news of the incident spread, parents rushed to the school in panic, anxious about the safety of their wards. A pall of gloom prevailed in the village on learning about the two casualties. Villagers also questioned the role of the School Development and Maintenance Committee members and blamed them for poor maintenance of the school building.
