Uttar Pradesh news: School roof collapses in Barabanki, 40 students injured, 5 critical

At least 40 children were injured, with five of them in critical condition, after a portion of the first-floor balcony of a school in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, collapsed on Friday, August 23.

Doctors are treating the injured children at the district hospital. Barabanki Superintendent of Police (SP) Dinesh Kumar Singh informed that five students are in a “critical” condition, reported PTI.

According to the police, the incident took place at the Awadh Academy School, a private institution, when a large number of children had gathered on the first-floor balcony while going down to attend the morning assembly.

The staff rushed the injured students to the Jahangirabad Primary Health Centre, around 300 metres from the school, where they received first aid. Doctors later referred them to the district hospital, PTI reported.

Police said that they pulled out many students from under the debris of the collapsed balcony. The injured are being treated for injuries to their face, neck, hands and legs. 

Similar incidents across India

Several such incidents have been reported across the country this year.

In July, a wall collapsed in a school classroom in Vadodara, Gujarat, injuring a student. According to reports, the classroom, located on the first floor of Shree Narayan Gurukul School on Waghodiya Road, fell during lunch break at around 12:30 pm.

In a similar incident in Andhra Pradesh that month, the roof of a private school at Akkayapalli on the outskirts of Kadapa collapsed, injuring six students.

According to reports, the incident happened in the 8th class of Saibaba High School, which is said to be owned by MLC Ramachandra Reddy of the YSRCP party.

The roof collapsed during school hours in the afternoon. All the students, except the injured ones, ran out of the classroom. Several student organisations protested in front of the school, demanding action against the management for the incident.