Odisha Girl's Harrowing Night: Trapped in Window, Survives Classroom Ordeal

In a heart-stopping tale of survival that unfolded in Odisha's Angul district, a 10-year-old girl named Sumi Munda endured a terrifying night, trapped from her chest downwards in a classroom window. The fourth-grade student's ordeal began innocently enough with a game of hide-and-seek, which quickly turned into a nightmarish battle against the elements and isolation.

Sumi, a student at the Government Primary School in Ganja village, found herself accidentally locked inside a classroom after school hours.

It was Friday evening, and the unsuspecting child, engrossed in play, became separated from her friends and inadvertently confined within the school walls. As darkness descended and panic set in, Sumi's desperate search for an exit led her to a small, grill-less window. Believing it offered a path to freedom, she attempted to squeeze through.

Tragically, the aperture was too narrow for her to pass entirely.

Sumi managed to push her upper body through, but her chest and hips became firmly wedged, leaving her suspended and immobile, half-inside and half-outside the window. For hours, through the long, cold night, the young girl was held captive by the unforgiving frame, her cries for help likely muffled by the deserted school premises.

Her harrowing ordeal came to an end the following morning.

As Saturday dawned, a teacher, Ujjwal Kumar Dehuri, arrived at the school and discovered the unimaginable sight of Sumi Munda stuck in the window. The alarm was immediately raised, and villagers rushed to the scene. The community rallied together, but freeing Sumi proved to be a challenging task. With part of the wall surrounding the window needing to be carefully demolished, it took approximately 30 minutes of concerted effort to gently extricate the traumatized girl.

Upon her rescue, Sumi was understandably exhausted and dehydrated, having spent the entire night in a vulnerable and physically demanding position.

She was promptly taken to a local health centre for a thorough medical check-up, where doctors confirmed that despite her ordeal, she was otherwise in stable condition. Following the necessary care, she was joyfully reunited with her anxious parents, who had undoubtedly spent a night of unbearable worry.

The incident has cast a spotlight on critical safety lapses within the school.

While it's common for some classrooms to remain unlocked after hours, this particular room was reportedly used for cooking, adding another layer of concern. Authorities have taken swift notice, with the Block Education Officer (BEO) confirming that a detailed inquiry would be launched to ascertain the circumstances leading to Sumi being locked inside.

Assurances have been made that strict action will be taken against any school staff found responsible for this grave act of negligence, ensuring such a terrifying incident does not recur.