NHRC Seeks Report After Rajasthan School Roof Collapse That Killed 7

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a Government school building collapsed, resulting in the death of seven children and injuries to 28 others in Jhalawar district of Rajasthan.

Reportedly, citing negligence of the administration, the local residents had informed the District authorities about the dilapidated condition of the school building, but no action was taken.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violation. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan and the Superintendent of Police, Jhalawar, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

The report is expected to include the health status of the injured students, as well as any compensation paid to the next of kin of the deceased.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan's Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar said that the state government has ordered a report within five days on the roof collapse at a school in Jhalawar that claimed the lives of seven students on Friday.

He added that the Public Works Department (PWD) has been directed to assess the structural condition of all school buildings across the state.