Click to play videoNew Delhi: Five little girls were crushed to death in a stampede after their school authorities decided to evacuate overcrowded classrooms over fears of a short circuit in a government school in east Delhi.
The students said that both morning and evening shifts of the school had been asked to come at the same time to take their exams.
There were 2000 students in a building meant for half the number. The teachers then decided to separate the girls and the boys over the ground and first floors and during this, the stampede turned fatal for the five students.
One student narrated the situation saying, "Hum neeche the, hume kaha upar juaao, wahan jeene pe humse ladke chhed chhad kar rahe the, hum sab neeche bhaagee (We were sitting in the ground floor but we were asked to go to the upper room. There was a lot of chaos)."
The rain and rumours of flooding, a wall collapse and a live wire added to the panic
As the news spread, angry residents were out on the streets to teach the school a lesson. For the parents of the dead girls, none of this could make sense.
It was the lack of foresight and planning on part of school authorities that left five dead.
The government now can find no one including itself to blame.
Even as helpless parents camped at the hospital for news of their children, Chief Minsiter Sheila Dikshit found refuge in payments as compensation.
Sheila Dikshit said, “Families of the dead will get Rs 1lakh and the injured will get a help of Rs 50,000.”
The police have registered a case of negligence against the school and a magisterial enquiry has been ordered.
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