11 Sep 2009

Fatal stampede at school

5:59 am on 11 September 2009

At least five students have been killed and more than 20 injured in a stampede at a school in the capital Delhi.

Reports say the students had been ordered to leave the classroom following heavy overnight rain.

The stampede in the Khajuri Khas area also injured 24 students. Doctors say five of them are in a critical condition.

Officials said the stampede took place when a group of girl students, who tried to run down a narrow staircase, collided into a group of boys going up.

The BBC reports the school is waterlogged following a night of heavy rains in Delhi.

Earlier reports said the stampede was sparked by rumours that electric current had entered water due to a short-circuit.

The injured have been taken to Guru Teg Bahadur hospital.

State authorities have ordered an inquiry into the incident.