A 58-year-old mid-day meal worker was brutally killed inside a government primary school in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, in an incident that unfolded during school hours while children were present on campus, raising serious concerns about safety within educational institutions.
The victim, Sulochana Devi, a resident of Chanour village and wife of Vishambhar Das, was preparing food in the school kitchen around 12:20 pm on Thursday at the Government Primary School located in Gram Panchayat Chanour under the Dehra area. According to police, the accused, identified as 48-year-old Rakesh Kumar from the same village, entered the premises and allegedly attacked her with a sickle, inflicting fatal injuries.
Teachers and students were alerted by screams coming from the kitchen area. When staff rushed to the spot, they found the victim lying critically injured while the accused was reportedly still holding the weapon. School authorities immediately secured students inside classrooms to prevent panic and ensure their safety. When the accused allegedly threatened the teachers, staff members from a nearby senior secondary school intervened and pelted stones at him, forcing him to flee from the campus.
Police teams arrested the accused within about 30 minutes of the attack and recovered the weapon used in the crime. A murder case has been registered under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigators are examining the motive behind the killing.
Sulochana Devi was taken to a nearby community health centre, where doctors declared her dead. After the post-mortem examination, her body was handed over to family members. Officials said investigators are collecting physical and forensic evidence as part of a detailed probe.
The accused was produced before a Kangra court and remanded to five days of police custody, with the next hearing scheduled for February 17.
The incident has triggered anger among parents and local residents, who questioned the adequacy of security arrangements in schools. Following the killing, Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur directed the education department to review and strengthen safety measures across schools in the state to better protect students, teachers, and support staff.
