Students, teacher escape as plaster falls off ceiling in Bhopal school

Bhopal, July 19 (IANS) Students and a female teacher of a school had a narrow escape when a chunk of concrete (plaster) from the ceiling of the classroom fell suddenly, leaving them scared and panicked in Madhya Pradesh's capital, Bhopal.

The horrific incident occurred at a government-run 'PM Shri' school in Barkheda Pathani area in Bhopal, which is hardly 10 km away from the Board office (MP School Education Board) and the state's Secretariat-Vallabh Bhavan.

A video of the incident surfaced on social media, showing girl students were sitting in the classroom and a female teacher teaching them. In the meantime, a concrete slab fell on a bench in the front row of the classroom. At least four-five girl students and the teacher were lucky to escape narrowly as the concrete material (plaster) fell between them. But this horrifying incident was enough to create panic among the students. Subsequently, the teacher asked students to leave the classroom amid panic situations.

The building, where the incident occurred, is a girls’ higher secondary school in Barkheda Pathani, located adjacent to BHEL's area. The condition of this school building is reportedly not good.

The incident has sparked a controversy, as the opposition Congress raised apprehension about the safety of the school children. Social media users have also shared the video on their accounts, raising questions about the safety of children. Responding to the incident, senior Congress leader and former minister, P. C. Sharma, hit out at the ruling BJP, stating that changing the name of the school won't be enough to transform the education system.

"It's shameful that under the BJP rule, the temple of education turned a death trap. Will the minister still evade accountability?" Sharma asked. His post on X further reads, "Merely adding 'PM Shri' label on schools doesn't improve their condition, or else plaster wouldn't have fallen in the classroom in Barkheda Pathani".

IANS learnt that the matter has reached to School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh, and an inquiry has been ordered into the matter.

However, the minister or any government official from the School Education Department has yet to make any statement.

--IANS

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