Children Risk Lives to Attend School After Bridge Collapse in Jharkhand

In Jharkhand's Khunti district, students are risking their lives to attend school due to a collapsed bridge. Following heavy rains on June 19th, a portion of the bridge over the Banai River on the Khunti-Simdega main road collapsed. Faced with this obstacle, villagers devised a temporary solution: bamboo ladders. Children are now forced to scale these precarious ladders, approximately 20-25 feet high, to cross the river and reach their schools. Videos have emerged showing the children with school bags on their backs, navigating the makeshift route. The local administration has since removed the ladders for safety reasons. The bridge connected Khunti and Simdega districts, and its collapse has created significant difficulties for residents, who now face a 12-kilometer detour for daily activities. The incident occurred during a period of heavy rainfall, with a red alert issued for several districts, including Ranchi, Gumla, and Simdega.