 | |
| Date | 25 July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time | 8.00 am IST (UTC+05:30) |
| Location | Piplodi, Rajasthan, India |
| Coordinates | 24°15′18″N76°43′58″E / 24.2551014°N 76.7327599°E |
| Cause | Structural failure |
| Deaths | 7 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 27 |
On 25 July 2025, part of the classroom roof of the Piplodi Government School in Piplodi, Rajasthan, India, collapsed, killing 7 students and injuring 27.
The collapse occurred around 8 a.m. IST (UTC+05:30), shortly before the morning assembly began. [1] Students had reportedly noticed falling debris and alerted teachers, who dismissed the warnings and instructed them to remain seated. Moments later, the classroom wall and roof gave way, burying 35 children under debris, killing 7 students with ages ranging from 7 to 13, and injuring 27. [2]
Injured children were rushed to the Manoharthana primary health centre, with several critically injured patients transferred to Jhalawar district hospitals. [3]
Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma mourned the tragedy, and ordered the immediate inspection and sealing of unsafe school buildings. [4] The central ministry of education directed all states and territories to conduct comprehensive safety audits of schools covering structural integrity, fire safety, emergency drills, and mental health preparedness. [5]
The Rajasthan government announced compensation of ₹ 1 million (US$12,000) and one government job to each of the families of the killed. [6] Classes were to resume at a nearby government school on 28 July, while a new school building featuring classrooms named in memory of the children is to be constructed. [7] The government also proposed spending ₹ 1.5 billion (US$18 million) on school repairs throughout the state. School buildings deemed unrepairable would be razed and replaced with temporary containers, while the rest would be cataloged and monitored. [8]
A five-member committee led by the Zila Parishad CEO was tasked with investigating the causes of the collapse. Criminal complaints were filed against the school headmaster and five teachers, who were suspended. [7] [9]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, [10] President Draupadi Murmu, [11] Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, [12] and Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressed sorrow over the incident. [13]
Other leaders, including former chief minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot and Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla also expressed grief. [14]
As a protest against government school conditions, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) leader Hanuman Beniwal asserted that all government officials and political leaders should enroll their children in government schools, arguing that this would lead to an improvement in the quality of public education. [15]
Criticism was levied at education minister Madan Dilawar for the poor state of school infrastructure, with calls for his resignation due to dereliction of duty and after he appeared at a welcome celebration in Jagheena the day after the incident. [16] [17]
On 29 July, RLP leader Hanuman Beniwal, BAP leader Rajkumar Roat, and Azad Samaj Party leader Chandrashekhar Azad protested outside Parliament, demanding accountability and compensation for the collapse. [18] [19]
On 6 September 2025, a 60-year-old farm labourer Mor Singh donated his two-room house for use as a school and moved his family into a temporary shelter on his farmland. In recognition, the Rajasthan government announced ₹1.8 crore for a new school building, and ₹2 lakh in aid for Singh. [20]
In September 2025, Naresh Meena led protests demanding compensation for victims. [21] His tactics included attempts to march to the Chief Minister’s residence, which led his detention, with police alleging vandalism and obstruction, but later the Rajasthan High Court granted him bail, citing weak evidence. [22] [23] Meena also launched a multi-day hunger strike in Jaipur demanding compensation for victims. [24]
Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal stated in Parliament that the children of all government officers and leaders should be educated in government schools to ensure the quality of public education improves