A distressing incident unfolded in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, where an 8-year-old girl was found trapped overnight inside her classroom, with her head caught between iron window bars. The girl, identified as Jyotsna Dehuri, is a Class 2 student at the Government Upper Primary School in Anjar village, located in the Banspal block.
On August 21, Jyotsna attended her regular classes, but when the school day ended around 4 PM, teachers and staff inadvertently locked up the building without realizing she was still inside. Alone and frightened, Jyotsna attempted to escape through a window that was secured with metal bars. While her body managed to squeeze through, her head became lodged between the bars, leaving her suspended and trapped throughout the night.
The harrowing ordeal ended the following morning when the school cook arrived around 9 AM and spotted the trapped girl. Quick action ensued as community members and her relatives rallied to help, bending the iron bars to free her. Jyotsna was subsequently rushed to the district headquarters hospital, where medical staff confirmed she was in stable condition and receiving the necessary care.
In response to the unfortunate oversight, local officials suspended the school’s acting headmaster, Mahanta. The School and Mass Education Department reassured that Jyotsna was now out of harm’s way and receiving proper medical treatment.
This incident is not isolated; similar events have raised alarm in recent months. Last month, a 7-year-old boy named Gaurav Kumar from a primary school in Agra was also trapped after being inadvertently locked inside his classroom. Local villagers had to break down the gate and cut through the window bars to rescue him. In another case in Bihar’s Katihar, a Class 3 student fell asleep in class and woke up to find himself locked inside, getting stuck by the neck in the window grills. Concerned villagers intervened to extricate him, also by cutting through the metal bars.
These troubling scenarios underscore the urgent need for improved safety protocols in schools to prevent such alarming incidents from occurring in the future. As schools prepare to welcome students back after the holidays, it is imperative that measures are implemented to ensure student safety.
The increasing occurrence of children being left alone in classrooms highlights a critical vulnerability in school safety practices. Parents, educators, and local authorities must work collaboratively to ensure that such oversights are prevented, safeguarding the well-being of students.
As this story unfolds, community members in Odisha and beyond continue to advocate for enhancements in school safety regulations to protect young learners.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/young-girl-endures-nightmare-as-her-head-wedged-in-school-window-grills-all-night-after-being-locked-in-odisha-news-11755929209891.html
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Publish Date: 2025-08-23 12:16:00
