A tragic incident occurred in the Khunti district of Jharkhand on Monday. A student in the third grade at the Rajkriyakrit Kanya Madhya Vidyalaya (Government Girl’s Middle School) had lunch at school. Afterward, the student became thirsty. As the school’s hand pump was not functioning, the young student went with friends to a dilapidated well outside the school. Due to a slip, the student fell into the well, resulting in their death. The deceased has been identified as Suraj Manjhi, and he was 8 years old.
The incident took place at the Rajkriyakrit Kanya Madhya Vidyalaya in Hassa village, in the Murhu police station area of the district. After eating the mid-day meal, the student went near the well because he was thirsty and slipped, falling into the well. When the school teachers learned of the incident, they rushed to the well and pulled the child out. They then took him to Murhu Community Health Centre (CHC), but it was too late. Doctors declared the child dead after examination. The incident caused a commotion at the scene.
Reports indicate that the school has had no water supply for drinking or preparing meals for some days due to the hand pump being out of order. The school cook was bringing water for the children from the well. However, after lunch, older children sometimes drank water from the well outside the school.
On Monday, after the mid-day meal, Suraj Manjhi, the third-grade student, went with other children to drink water near the well. During this time, he slipped and fell into the well, leading to his death. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the District Education Superintendent has directed an investigation into the incident and strict action against those responsible.
Previously, in June 2025, a similar incident occurred in Rani Tola, also in the Murhu police station area of Khunti district. Two minor children died tragically after falling into a well while playing near a well under construction. Although the district administration deployed an NDRF team to rescue the children, they could not be saved.
