Sitamarhi: A Class 4 student has died after an alleged assault by classmates at a government school in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district, prompting a police investigation and widespread concern among local residents.
The deceased, identified as Smriti Kumari, was a student at a middle school in Soharwa village in the Sonbarsa block near the India-Nepal border. According to local accounts, the incident took place on Monday afternoon following a dispute inside the classroom.
Reports suggest the altercation began around 2:30pm over switching on a ceiling fan, which escalated into a physical confrontation. Smriti was allegedly beaten by two classmates and sustained serious injuries.
Teachers intervened and informed her family, after which she was taken to a private clinic in Sitamarhi. As her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Patna for advanced treatment. However, she died on the way near Hajipur while being transported by ambulance.
The incident has triggered grief and anger in the village, with a large number of residents gathering at the victim’s home. A postmortem examination was conducted on Tuesday.
Police officials said an investigation is underway. “We are gathering information from teachers and students. Further action will be taken based on the findings,” said Ashish Anand, Sadar SDPO.
Family members and local residents have alleged negligence on the part of the school administration, claiming that timely intervention by teachers could have prevented the incident. Questions have also been raised about supervision and safety measures within the school.
Authorities have not yet confirmed all details of the incident, and further clarity is expected following the completion of the investigation.
