7 children killed in India school roof collapse

At least seven children were killed and 26 others injured Friday after part of the roof and walls of a government-run school collapsed in western India, police said.

"Seven children have lost their lives so far and 26 others are injured," Nand Kishore, a police officer in the state of Rajasthan, told AFP.

There were around 60 students, teachers and staff members in the single-storey building when the accident happened in Jhalawar district, some 322 kilometres (200 miles) from the state capital Jaipur.

Kishore said the structure collapsed when students were attending their classes early on Friday.

Local villagers rushed to the site and rescued many injured children who were taken to the closest medical facilities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident.

"My thoughts are with the affected students and their families in this difficult hour," Modi said in a statement posted by his office on X.

"Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. Authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected," the premier added.

Rajasthan state education minister Madan Dilawar announced a "high level inquiry" into the incident.

"A very unfortunate incident has occurred," Dilawar said in a statement.

The minister added that the local authorities were making "all kinds of arrangements for the treatment" of injured students.

"I will get a high-level inquiry done today to find out why this incident happened," Dilawar added.

Government schools in India face chronic funding shortages, with students complaining of absent teachers, dilapidated buildings and a lack of basic amenities like clean drinking water or toilets.

The situation has improved in urban areas in recent years but the pace of change in rural India still remains slow.

Source: AFP