Chaos erupted at the Siruthavur Government school in Tamil Nadu’s Chengalpattu district, on Thursday, August 8, when a portion of the roof suddenly collapsed during class hours, injuring five Class 10 students. All the five injured students were rushed to the Thiruporur Government hospital where they underwent treatment. The terrifying incident has raised serious questions about the safety and maintenance of school infrastructure in the region, leaving parents and authorities scrambling for answers.

It may be noted that the construction of the Siruthavur Government school was completed eight years ago, in 2016, and was occupied from the following academic year.

According to media reports, one of the five girls, Sujitha, had reportedly sustained heavy injuries to her head while the others sustained minor injuries. “All of them have been discharged from the hospital post treatment and are stable,” the Chengalpattu district collector S Anuraj told TNM. He added that the Public Works Department (PWD) has been instructed to carry out an inspection of the school’s structure. 

The district’s Chief Education Officer (CEO) corroborated and said, “We have identified a private building on the same street for the school to function until the PWD provides the required structural stability certificate and until all the repair works are completed.”