Gaya, Jan. 25: At least 35 children were injured when the thatched roof of a government middle school at Maigra village under Dumaria police station collapsed today. Four children were seriously injured as they received injuries in head and legs.

The incident occurred when the school was hosting Bal Mela of cluster resource centre (CSR) level. The school was constructed in the 1930s and it was abandoned since no classes were held owing to its poor condition.

Today, around 1,000 students of around 27 schools of the area had gathered in the school to participate in the CSR-level competition. Debates, paintings, musical and classical dances are performed at the event. Successful students of the CSR-level competition were to participate in the block resource centre-level contest.

Some students climbed upon the thatched roof to watch the activities being performed at the dais of the school. The roof was in a dilapidated condition because of which it collapsed leading to the mishap.

The four children who were seriously injured have been identified as 16-year-old Tamanna Parveen and Sushma Kumari (15) of village Maira, Neelam Kumari (12) and Saurabh Kumar (10) of village Parsima Patel under Dumaria block. Four-year-old Irfan Ansari of Kaseyadih village and two-year-old Runja Kumari of Simri village have also suffered injuries. State education minister P.K. Shahi termed the incident unfortunate.

Shahi said: “I have directed the Gaya district magistrate to provide medical aid to students on priority basis and then submit a detailed report about the incident.”

While two children have been rushed to Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital, others were getting treatment either at a primary health centre or at private clinics in Dumaria.

Prabhat Kumar Jha, the land acquisition officer, who is also the district public relations officer, said district magistrate Bandana Preyashi has directed Gaya civil surgeon Dilip Kumar and Sherghati sub-divisional officer Ashima Jain to supervise the matter.

Two ambulances have been made available to bring the injured children to ANMMCH in Gaya. The DM has directed immediate CT scan of those children, who have suffered injury in the head and to make surgery arrangements for those who have suffered limb fractures.

District education officer Vinod Kumar Jha said a department inquiry would be conducted into the incident. “Action will be taken against those found responsible for the unfortunate incident,” he said.