Four-year-old dies in Sirsa play school; family raises alarm over safety, hygiene

In a tragic and mysterious incident, a four-year-old boy named Armaan died during the lunch break at a private play school in Mamera Kalan village on Tuesday. The child, who had only recently resumed school after summer holidays, reportedly collapsed without eating lunch and was declared dead at the hospital.

According to school operator Bhupender Singh, “Armaan was sitting on a bench when his health suddenly deteriorated.” He said the child was rushed to multiple hospitals, but doctors were unable to save him.

Shockingly, the school had no CCTV cameras installed, making it difficult to ascertain what exactly happened during those critical moments. Armaan hailed from Mauju Khera village in Ellenabad and had joined the school shortly before the holidays.

Family members alleged they were called to the hospital without being informed that anything serious had occurred. “We were told to come urgently, but no one told us he had collapsed. We found his body at the hospital,” a relative said. They suspect the death could be linked to poor hygiene after the holidays, possible food contamination, or heat-related causes.

Dr RK Dahiya, forensic expert at Civil Hospital, confirmed that the post-mortem examination has been conducted. “The exact cause of death will be known after the viscera report is received,” he said.

District Child Welfare Committee chairperson Anita Verma has taken cognisance of the incident and called for a thorough investigation. “We have asked for all records from the school and the district programme officer,” she said. Preliminary findings suggest that the school was being run from a rented house with limited infrastructure.