A devastating event unfolded in the Khunti district of Jharkhand on Monday, resulting in the death of a young schoolboy. The incident involved a third-grade student at the Rajkriyakrit Kanya Madhya Vidyalaya, who perished after falling into a well near the school premises. The child, identified as Suraj Manjhi, had finished his midday meal and went to seek water, as the school’s hand pump was not working. He ventured towards a dilapidated well outside the school with a group of friends. A misstep led to his fall into the well, resulting in his untimely demise.
School officials were quickly alerted to the emergency, attempting to rescue the child and rushing him to the Murhu CHC. Medical professionals, however, declared him dead upon arrival. The incident caused immediate panic and sorrow among the school community.
The absence of a functioning hand pump had created a difficult situation for the students, with the school cook having to source water for both drinking and meal preparation from the same well. Older students were known to use the well to obtain water after lunch.
The District Education Superintendent has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident. This tragic occurrence mirrors a past incident from June 2025, also in the Murhu area, where two young children lost their lives in a similar circumstance involving a well under construction. Rescue operations by the NDRF were also unsuccessful in that earlier event.
