Itanagar, Aug 24: In a tragic incident, a 10-year-old student was charred to death, while three others sustained serious injuries in a fire at a government residential school in Arunachal Pradesh’s Shi-Yomi district early Sunday.
The injured students were identified as Lukhi Pujen (8), Tanu Pujen (9) and Tayi Pujen (11).
The fire broke out between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. at the boys’ hostel of Papikrong Government Residential School in the northern Shi-Yomi district.
According to reports, the injured are undergoing treatment at Zonal General Hospital in Aalo, West Siang district.
The deceased student is yet to be identified. Officials confirmed that the hostel was completely gutted in the fire.
An investigation has been launched to ascertain the exact cause of the incident. Papikrong village, where the school is located, lies close to Tadadege — the last Indian Army post along the China border in Shi-Yomi district.
Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister and local MLA Pasang Dorjee Sona expressed deep shock, attributing the fire to a short circuit.
On X, he wrote: “Deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic fire accident at the boys’ hostel of Papikrong School in Shi Yomi District, which occurred between 1:00 and 2:00 a.m. due to a short circuit. The incident has resulted in the untimely loss of one young student, while three others have sustained injuries. The hostel has been completely damaged in the fire.”
