Kolkata School Tragedy: Class 8 Student Collapses and Dies During Examination
A heartbreaking incident unfolded in Kolkata on Wednesday morning when a Class 8 student collapsed in his classroom while appearing for an examination and was later declared dead at a hospital. The deceased has been identified as 14-year-old Prithwiraj Haldar, a resident of Subhasgram, who was a student at The Summit School in Kodalia under Sonarpur Police Station.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Tragedy
According to school authorities, Prithwiraj arrived at The Summit School around 8:30 am for his second language examination, which was scheduled to begin at 9 am. At approximately 8:40 am, while seated in the classroom, he suddenly lost consciousness and slumped on his bench. Teachers present immediately tried to revive him but were unsuccessful in their efforts.
The school authorities quickly arranged for transportation and took him to Sonarpur Rural Hospital in an auto-rickshaw. Unfortunately, doctors at the hospital declared him brought dead upon arrival, sending shockwaves through the school community and his family.
Allegations of Negligence and Police Investigation
The incident triggered serious allegations of negligence against the school by the boy's father, Rajkumar Haldar. He claimed that the school does not have a sick room and that timely medical assistance was not provided to his son. "My son had no known health issue. He left home in good health as usual. I do not know what happened after he reached school," the grieving father stated.
Prithwiraj's twin brother, who studies in the same school, was appearing for his examination in a different hall at the time of the incident, adding another layer of tragedy to the family's loss.
Police sent the student's body for postmortem examination and initiated an investigation. Sonarpur Police Station officer in charge Asis Das visited the school after receiving information about the incident. He sought details from school authorities regarding the absence of a sick room, medical personnel, and ambulance facilities on the premises.
Investigation Details and School Response
Though no formal complaint was lodged with the police against the school until Wednesday evening, an unnatural death case was registered and an investigation was initiated. Investigators revealed that there was no CCTV camera inside the classroom, making it difficult to ascertain the exact sequence of events. However, no foul play has been suspected so far.
Preliminary suspicion points to a possible cardiac arrest, but police emphasized that the exact cause of death would only be confirmed after the postmortem report is received. While the student's family maintained he did not suffer from any known disease, doctors suggested the boy may have had an undetected ailment that might have been congenital.
School authorities told police that they will set up a sick room and arrange for basic medical attention for students. Calls made to the school for comment went unanswered, leaving many questions about school safety protocols unanswered.
Medical Perspective on Undetected Conditions
Internal medicine consultant Arindam Biswas provided insight into such tragic cases: "It often happens that congenital ailments remain undetected until they flare up. It could be a cardiac issue or something to do with the lungs or some other vital organ. Unfortunately, they often do not have symptoms until a certain age. Physical or mental stress may trigger such ailments. Such undetected conditions often turn out to be fatal."
The incident has raised serious questions about medical facilities in schools and the preparedness of educational institutions to handle medical emergencies. As the investigation continues, the community mourns the loss of a young life cut short during what should have been a routine school day.
