The last rites of Payal, one of the seven children who lost their lives in the tragic roof collapse at a primary school in Jhalawar’s Piplodi village, were performed on Saturday as grief-stricken family members and villagers continued to demand justice and accountability.
The collapse occurred on Friday morning around 7:40 am, trapping 32 students beneath the debris. While several were rescued with injuries, seven, including Payal, succumbed to the disaster.
Ram Dayal, a relative of the deceased student, told ANI, “No investigation has been done so far. We want the government to fulfil our demands, including providing a job to a family member.”
The tragedy sparked widespread anger in the village. Protesters, including family members and locals, vandalised police vehicles and accused the administration of negligence, citing the poor condition of the school infrastructure.
DSP Harsh Raj Singh Khareda described the event as “a major and unfortunate incident,” confirming that district officials, including the Collector, met with the victims’ families at the site to offer condolences.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma expressed deep sorrow and assured a thorough investigation to uncover the cause of the collapse and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Former CM Vasundhara Raje, who visited the injured at the hospital, criticised the authorities for failing to act on unsafe infrastructure. “Had the building been identified as unsafe and children relocated, this could have been prevented,” she said.
As investigations begin and the community mourns, demands for justice and infrastructural accountability continue to echo across Rajasthan.
