By IANS,
New Delhi : Five girl students were killed and at least 34 other students were injured Thursday morning in a stampede in a school here after rumours that electric current had leaked into waterlogged classrooms, police said. Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal described the tragedy as a shame.
The incident took place in the Government Senior Secondary School (Class 6-12) in Khajoori Khas in northeast Delhi around 9 a.m. The victims were mostly from Classes 7-10, who had come to the school in pouring rain for their half-yearly examinations.
“Five girls have died and 34 children have been injured. The injured are undergoing treatment at Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital,” Joint Commissioner of Police Dharmendra Kumar told IANS.
Initial reports suggested the stampede took place as electric current had leaked into the rainwater in the school but several victims and witnessed later told police that some boys were teasing girls, leading to the stampede.
A senior police official said: “These reports are not confirmed. We are investigating and trying to find out the exact reason behind the stampede.”
Hospital authorities said at least five of the injured students were in a “serious condition”, and clarified that there were no electrocution injuries to anyone.
“There has been no electrocution injury. Some students have suffered injuries to head and some to stomach,” a doctor said.
A distraught woman was wailing inconsolably after her 12-year-old daughter Afroz died in the accident.
“My daughter was fasting for Ramazan. She will never get to break her fast now,” Shamshari said before she fainted.
Reshma, a Class 8 student, told IANS: “Teachers told us to move downstairs for exams. When we were moving down, some boys started pushing us and we fell on one another. The boys were on the top of us. Teachers rescued us after pushing the boys aside.”
“Though I did not suffer any injuries, many of my friends fell unconscious and were injured,” she added.
Some parents maintained that there have been incidents of boys harassing girls in the past as well.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said: “These are just rumours. The incident took place when some girls were going up the stairs and others were coming down.”
She visited the hospital along with Health Minister Kiran Walia and Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely and met the injured girls.
Expressing regret over the tragedy, she ordered an enquiry by the deputy commissioner and promised strict action. The report will be submitted in two-three days.
The chief minister also announced compensation of Rs.100,000 each to the next of kin of those killed, and Rs.50,000 to those seriously injured.
Leader of Opposition in Delhi assembly V.K. Malhotra said: “A proper enquiry should be conducted into the incident and the government should also look at other schools to avoid such incidents.”
Central Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal said: “The school stampede is a tragedy. Even though it is a state system, it is completely unacceptable, it’s a shame.”
Many worried parents and relatives gathered at the school during the day when the news broke.
They accused the school administration of negligence. They threw stones, shouted slogans and tried to block the road in front of the school, but police soon brought the situation under control.
No official from the school administration was available for comment.
Parents and relatives of the injured children thronged the GTB Hospital. But they were not allowed inside the hospital.
“I have the identity card of my daughter who studies in this school but the police are not letting me in. What should I do, I have not got any news about her,” said a grieving father, standing outside the hospital.