Punjab: Teacher dies in roof collapse at govt school in Ludhiana

Three other teachers hospitalised after roof of staff room came crashing down at Government Senior Secondary School, Baddowal; ITBP, NDRF teams called in for rescue

A teacher died and three other women staff members were injured when the roof of the staff room came crashing down at Government Senior Secondary School, Baddowal, in Ludhiana on Wednesday.

Staff in shock after the roof of the staff room collapsed at Government Senior Secondary School, Baddowal, in Ludhiana on Wednesday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Panic gripped the school before teams of the Indo Tibetan Police Force (ITBP) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel were called in to rescue the four teachers after the incident occurred at 12.45pm. The teachers were pulled out from the rubble and rushed to hospital, where one of them, Ravinder Kaur, was declared brought dead.

Ravinder Kaur , the teacher who died in the roof collapse. (HT file photo)

The school building, which was constructed in 1960, was in a dilapidated condition yet construction was underway on the first floor when its lintel collapsed. With the impact, the roof of the staff room on the ground floor also came crashing down on the four teachers.

Ravinder Kaur, who taught English, was transferred to Ludhiana from Noorpur Bet only three months ago.

People gather outside the school building as the rescue operation was being carried out on Wednesday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Ludhiana member of Parliament Ravneet Bittu said the school building was unsafe and demanded a high-level probe.

Deputy commissioner Surabhi Malik said a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident.