Chandigarh, The Haryana Human Rights Commission has expanded the scope of proceedings initiated suo motu over the death of an 11-year-old student after the arch of the entrance gate of a government primary school in Sonipat collapsed, to examine the structural safety of all state-run schools.
The commission, comprising Justice Lalit Batra, along with members Kuldeep Jain and Deep Bhatia, observed that in view of the serious concerns arising from the incident, it would not be sufficient to confine the proceedings only to the school at Garhi Balinda in Ganaur in Sonipat district. During the hearing in the Garhi Balinda matter, the assistant commissioner of police, Ganaur, informed the commission that the investigation is in progress. A request has already been made to the Sonipat deputy commissioner to constitute an inquiry committee to inspect the structural condition of the school building and ascertain the reasons for the collapse of the brick-concrete arch of the main entrance gate. It observed that the death of a child in an incident involving an unsafe school structure is not merely a matter requiring investigation into the immediate cause of the incident.
2026, a junior engineer conducted a technical inspection on May 22 While the officer inspected the school premises on May 19. Thereafter, a repair estimate of ₹ 5.68 lakh was prepared on June 1. Following the incident, a fresh estimate of ₹ 26.05 lakh for repair and renovation of the school was prepared and submitted to the district elementary education officer of Sonipat, according to the report.
“The commission, having regard to the serious concerns arising out of the present incident, considers it appropriate to enlarge the scope of the present proceedings so as to examine the safety and structural conditions of Government schools across the State of Haryana,” according to the order. The school had been inspected even before the incident, according to the report submitted by the block education officer of Ganaur.
