Mid-day Meal worker killed inside school in Kangra, accused arrested

A shocking murder inside a government primary school in Chinaur village of Dehra in Kangra district has raised serious concerns over the safety of school premises after a mid-day meal worker was killed in broad daylight in front of students.

The victim was identified as Sulochana Devi (58) , who worked as a mid-day meal cook at the school. Police said the accused, Rakesh Kumar (48) , a resident of the same village, entered the school premises on Thursday afternoon armed with a sickle and attacked her in the kitchen area.

According to officials, children began screaming after witnessing the attack, prompting teachers to rush out of their classrooms. They found the accused holding a sharp-edged weapon while the victim lay in a pool of blood. When teachers asked him to leave the premises, he allegedly threatened them.

Teachers from a nearby school arrived soon after and pelted stones at the accused, forcing him to flee the scene. Sulochana Devi was rushed to a nearby community health centre, where doctors declared her dead.

Police registered a case of murder and arrested the accused within a few hours of the incident. Investigations are underway to determine the motive behind the crime.

As news of the killing spread, several parents gathered at the school and expressed anger and fear over the safety of their children. They demanded that outsiders be barred from entering school premises and called for stronger security measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

The incident has sent shockwaves across the region and highlighted growing concerns about the vulnerability of staff and students within educational institutions in Himachal Pradesh.

Police said further action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.