Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, July 6

The Chief Education Officer (CEO) of Ramban district has suspended the entire staff of a government middle school in Banihal after a student was allegedly found locked inside the school building for several hours, ordering a high-level inquiry into the incident.

The action follows an incident at Government Middle School, Krawah, where a student was reportedly discovered inside the school premises at around 8 p.m. on July 4, several hours after the institution had closed and shortly before the commencement of the summer vacation, according to an official order.

Describing the incident as a case of prima facie gross negligence, the CEO said the apparent failure of school authorities to ensure the safe evacuation of all students before leaving the premises had the potential to endanger the life and safety of the child.

Pending completion of the inquiry, all employees of the school have been placed under suspension with immediate effect under Rule 31 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956, the order said.

The suspended employees will remain attached to the same school during the suspension period until further orders, it added.

To investigate the circumstances leading to the incident, the education department has constituted a three-member inquiry committee headed by the Principal of Government Higher Secondary School (Girls), Banihal. The panel also includes the Zonal Education Officer, Banihal, and the Headmaster of Government High School, Bankoot.

The committee has been directed to conduct a comprehensive and impartial inquiry, determine responsibility for the lapse and submit its findings, along with recommendations, to the Chief Education Officer within three days.

Officials said the inquiry would examine whether mandatory safety protocols were followed before the school was closed and identify any procedural failures that contributed to the incident.

Meanwhile, the education department has deployed an alternative team of staff to ensure that academic and administrative activities at the school are not disrupted.

According to the official order, five teachers, the Head of the Institution (HoI), three Non-Teaching Youth Coordinators (NYCs) and one Physical Education Teacher (PET) have been posted to the school with immediate effect.

The education department said the action was intended to ensure accountability for the incident while reinforcing student safety and institutional responsibility across government schools in the district.