A Year 5 student who sustained 90% burn injuries inside the bathroom of her school in Chitkohra died during treatment at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Wednesday, police confirmed.
According to officials, a staff member noticed smoke coming from the bathroom around 10:30am. A school cook was the first to discover the girl inside and immediately alerted the school management before police were called. Investigators said the girl appeared to have entered the bathroom with kerosene and set herself on fire.
The 12-year-old was found with the upper part of her body badly burnt, and a bottle containing about half a litre of kerosene was allegedly recovered from the bathroom of Amla Tola Kankya Vidyalaya.
Police sources noted the girl had not attended classes for the past five days. Superintendent of Police (Central) Diksha said it remains unclear how she obtained kerosene, adding that CCTV footage is being examined and forensic experts have been called in.
“We are probing the matter from every angle — whether an outsider was involved, or if there had been any harassment or previous enmity,” the SP said. “Statements from teachers are being taken, but they are also unsure how the incident unfolded.”
The tragedy triggered anger among locals, who stormed the school premises, vandalised furniture, and clashed with police. Tables and chairs were damaged, while important documents were torn during the chaos. Several officers were also assaulted when they attempted to calm the situation.
The girl’s brother, Shahnawaz, expressed grief and disbelief. “We reached the school but the gates were closed. I could not see my sister. She was burnt. She had no enmity with anyone,” he said.
Authorities are continuing their investigation while the community mourns the loss of the young student.
