Girl Trapped Overnight in Odisha School After Being Locked Inside
KEONJHAR — A seven-year-old girl, who was accidentally locked inside her classroom overnight, was rescued on Friday morning from Anjar Government Upper Primary School in Banspal block, Keonjhar district.
The child, identified as Jochna Dehuri, had fallen asleep under a bench on Thursday evening. Around 4:00 PM, unaware that she was still inside, the staff locked the classroom and the school building.
When Jochna did not return home, her anxious family launched a frantic search across the village but could not trace her.
Sometime later, Jochna woke up and tried to squeeze through the iron-barred window to escape. While her body managed to pass through, her head got stuck, leaving her trapped and struggling throughout the night.
The ordeal ended the next morning, at around 9:00 AM, when the school cook unlocked the premises and found the girl in distress. Villagers and family members rushed to the spot, broke open the window bars, and freed her. She was immediately taken to the district headquarters hospital, where doctors confirmed she was safe and out of danger. Officials later said she is now recovering at home.
Following public anger over the incident, the School and Mass Education Department suspended the in-charge Headmaster, Gourahari Mahamanat, for negligence.
Teacher Sanjita Dash explained that the building was locked at 4:10 PM amid heavy rain, and Jochna, who was asleep under the bench, was accidentally overlooked. “She likely woke up at night or early morning and tried to escape through the window but got stuck,” Dash said.
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