Student trapped overnight in school with head stuck in window railing

KEONJHAR (Odisha): In a shocking incident, a Class 2 student in India’s Keonjhar district spent an entire night locked inside her classroom with her head trapped between iron window railings after the school was closed while she was still inside.

The incident occurred at Anjar Government Upper Primary School in Banspal block. The seven-year-old girl, Jochna Dehuri, was locked inside her classroom on Thursday evening when school staff locked the classroom and building around 4:00 PM, unaware that she had fallen asleep under the last bench.

When Jochna did not return home, her worried family members searched for her frantically across the village but were unable to find her.

After waking up, Jochna had attempted to escape through a window, managing to push her body through the iron bars, but her head became trapped, leaving her stuck and struggling overnight.

When Jochna did not return home, her family searched frantically across the village but could not locate her. The following morning, at approximately 9:00 AM, the school cook unlocked the premises and discovered the child in distress.

Villagers and family members rushed to the school, pried open the window bars, and freed her. She was immediately taken to the district headquarters hospital, where doctors confirmed she was out of danger. The School and Mass Education Department stated that Jochna is now safe and recovering at home.

Following public outrage, the department suspended the in-charge Headmaster, Gourahari Mahamanat, for negligence.

Teacher Sanjita Dash explained that the school was locked at 4:10 PM during heavy rain, and Jochna, who was asleep, was overlooked. “She likely woke up at night or in the morning and tried to escape through the window but got stuck,” Dash said.

An eight-year-old girl had her head stuck through the window railings during her desperate attempt to escape as she was left stranded inside her classroom in Odisha’s Kenjhar district after school authorities locked the premise without checking. She remained there the entire… pic.twitter.com/wBUZcqFn89

— The Hindu (@the_hindu) August 22, 2025