4 children buried alive as school wall collapses
By IANSMonday, February 7, 2011
UNA - Four schoolchildren were buried alive and one was critically injured when the boundary wall of a primary school caved in near this Himachal Pradesh town Monday during school hours. The government has announced an interim compensation for the victims’ families.
Four children died on the spot when a wall of the Government Primary School at Chhatarpur Dhada, some 15 km from here, collapsed, Deputy Commissioner K.R. Bharti told IANS.
He said the accident occurred when the students, belonging to economically weaker sections, were playing during the recess. The children belonged to the age group of seven to 11.
The injured child has been admitted to the district hospital in Una, some 200 km from state capital Shimla.
“Prime facie, it seemed that the wall collapsed due to strong winds. We have asked the Una subdivisional magistrate to conduct an inquiry. It will be completed within 15 days,” he said, adding that the police had registered a case.
Meanwhile, the government has provided an interim compensation of Rs.5,000 to the families of each of the victims.
