Berhampur: Two girl students of a govt primary school were killed on Wednesday after an iron entrance gate along with its supporting column collapsed on them at Rubudisingh village under Nuagada block in Gajapati district.The incident took place at Govt Primary School, Rubudisingh, when the girls were playing near the entrance gate after classes ended, sources said.The deceased were identified as Beckylesh Raita (10), a Class V student, and Idanti Raita (9), a Class IV student, both residents of the same village. They were trapped under the debris and were rescued by locals and rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead.Tension prevailed in the area as villagers gathered at the school and demanded compensation for the students’ deaths. The situation was brought under control following the intervention of police and local administration.Tehsildar, Nuagada, Monalisha Acharyee, block education officer Adikant Gamango, and personnel from R Udayagiri police station rushed to the spot and pacified the agitating villagers. The bodies were sent for post-mortem to the district headquarters hospital at Paralakhemundi, police said.Expressing grief over the incident, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered an revenue divisional commissioner (RDC)-level inquiry to probe the circumstances leading to the tragedy. The RDC (southern division) will conduct the inquiry, according to a statement from the CMO. The chief minister announced an ex gratia assistance of Rs 3 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) to the families of the deceased.District education officer Mayadhar Sahu and other senior officials also visited the spot. “An inquiry is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the incident,” Sahu said.Sources said the inquiry team is also examining when the boundary wall and gate were built and whether the structure was in a dilapidated condition.
