PRAYAGRAJ: ( Bahariya) A heartbreaking incident unfolded on Wednesday morning in Chakia Dhamour village of Bahariya block, Prayagraj district, when a dilapidated iron gate at a composite government school collapsed on a young boy, killing him instantly.
The victim, seven-year-old Eeshu, had gone near the school with his father when the decades-old, rusted gate gave way — crushing the child before his father’s eyes.
The tragedy has sparked widespread outrage, with administrative action swiftly following. The Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) suspended the acting headmaster for negligence, while the District Development Officer (DDO) suspended the village secretary.
The District Magistrate has also ordered a detailed inquiry against both the village head (gram pradhan) and the secretary.
A Morning Routine Turns Into a Nightmare
According to reports, Manoj Pal, a resident of Chakia Dhamour village, had taken his only son, Eeshu, for their morning routine around 6:30 a.m. Like every day, the two stopped by the hand pump located inside the government composite school campus to wash their hands.
While Manoj was rinsing his hands, little Eeshu began playing near the old school gate — unaware that it had been unstable for months.
In a matter of seconds, tragedy struck. The heavy iron gate, corroded and hanging loose from its hinges, suddenly came crashing down on the child.
Manoj screamed in panic and rushed toward his son. With the help of nearby villagers, he managed to lift the gate off the boy — but by then, it was too late.
Blood was streaming from Eeshu’s head, mouth, and ears. The frantic father rushed him to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The family’s grief was unbearable — their only son was gone in a horrific, preventable accident.
Eeshu was a Class 1 student at Saraswati Gyan Mandir School. He was older than his younger sister, five-year-old Anvi, who adored him dearly.
Bahariya Police Station in-charge Brajesh Singh confirmed that the child’s body was sent for postmortem and that an investigation has been launched based on the complaint submitted by the father, Manoj Pal.
Negligence Exposed: The Gate Was Damaged Since March
It later emerged that the school’s main gate had been damaged for over six months, since March of this year. Despite repeated verbal reminders, no repairs were carried out by the village authorities or the school management.
Following an on-site inspection and report by the Block Education Officer (BEO), BSA Devbrat Singh ordered the immediate suspension of acting headmaster Ram Adhar for negligence. Similarly, DDO G.P. Kushwaha suspended the village secretary, citing preliminary evidence of dereliction of duty.
In his statement, suspended headmaster Ram Adhar said that construction work for an Anganwadi Centre was ongoing inside the school premises.
He claimed that village head Man Singh Yadav had dumped gravel near the gate, which had caused damage to one of its panels.
Because of the obstruction, children had stopped using that particular gate and were entering through another one.
He further stated that he had repeatedly urged the village head to get the gate repaired, but no action was taken. However, officials pointed out that Ram Adhar had failed to report the damage in writing to the education department or take independent steps to ensure safety — a serious lapse that contributed to the tragedy.
Based on the findings of the BEO’s report, Ram Adhar was suspended with immediate effect and attached to Upper Primary School, Sherpur Bhagwatpur during the investigation. Sahaswan’s BEO has been appointed as the inquiry officer.
Grief and Devastation in the Pal Household
When Eeshu’s body was brought home, the atmosphere turned unbearable. His mother wailed inconsolably, her cries piercing through the crowd of mourners gathered in the courtyard.
Father Manoj Pal sat in silence, his eyes swollen with tears, unable to comprehend his loss.
The most heart-wrenching moment came when little Anvi, Eeshu’s five-year-old sister, approached her brother’s lifeless body.
Tugging at his hand, she sobbed, “Wake up, Bhaiya… Mummy is crying. Please wake up.” Her innocent words broke the composure of everyone present — even the strongest among the villagers could not hold back their tears.
The once peaceful home was now filled with cries of anguish. Neighbors consoled the grieving parents, but no words could ease their pain.
Every villager echoed the same sentiment — “Negligence has killed this child. A broken gate, ignored for months, has snatched away their only son.”
The collapsed gate not only claimed a young life but also left behind a shattered family:
- A mother’s arms, forever empty.
- A father’s dreams, reduced to grief.
- A sister’s world, suddenly lonely.
For the Pal family, one moment of official carelessness turned into a lifetime of sorrow.
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