Nava Nalanda School: Principal defends school after window glass falls on student getting him 40 stitches

On Monday morning, a serious incident occurred at Nava Nalanda School in South Kolkata when a glass window on the fourth floor shattered during the school’s morning prayer session. The falling glass injured three students, one of whom sustained severe head injuries. The injured student was immediately taken to a private hospital in Dhakuria, where they received 40 stitches. The other two students were treated for minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.

Despite the school's protocol of having an ambulance available on campus, it was not present at the scene when the incident occurred. This led to significant frustration among the parents, who expressed concern over the lack of immediate medical assistance. Parents staged a protest outside the school, demanding accountability from the school authorities regarding the safety measures in place, including the absence of the ambulance and the lack of maintenance that could have prevented such an accident.

The school principal later addressed the incident, stating that the glass broke when the students opened the window. He confirmed that the incident was accidental and expressed regret, adding that the glass may have been faulty. Regarding the ambulance, the principal explained that the ambulance driver had been delayed that day and would be issued a show-cause notice for the failure to arrive promptly. The principal also mentioned that the school’s medical unit was available, though it did not respond to the situation in a timely manner.

Local MLA Debashis Kumar visited the school to assess the situation. He expressed concern about the lack of safety protocols and the delay in emergency medical response. Kumar emphasized that schools must maintain strict safety standards and ensure that incidents like this do not occur. Parents continued to voice their concerns, pressing for better infrastructure, more efficient emergency services, and a review of safety measures to prevent further incidents. The school has not provided any further details regarding the investigation into the incident.