How it happened

As they were running down,they met more boys who were on their way up. The girls got molested on the stairs as well and in the ensuing panic,the stampede occurred

Crush theories
A police probe,a magisterial probe and a probe by the education department have been ordered into the stampede. Many theories are doing the rounds

Over-congestion in school
Teachers say over 1,400 students were present on Thursday,which is double the school’s capacity. “The school runs in two shifts — morning for girls and evening for boys,” said Rahul,a student. “Today,Classes VII,X,XI,and XII had exams and boys and girls were asked to come at the same time.”

Wet floors
The students were being accommodated in other classrooms because of wet floors. The boys were seated on the ground floor,and the girls upstairs. Because of the rains,the ground floor was damp and the boys were asked to go upstairs. Upstairs,the boys allegedly molested the girls,who ran for cover. On their way down the staircase,they collided with others who were on their way up.

A group clash
Youths from Sriram Colony and Pucci Kajuri had clashed over a molestation incident. Locals say one of the youths involved had gone to the school with his friends to harass his rival’s sister. The girls,in a panic,had scattered,resulting in the stampede.

Lack of electricity
“There was no light in the classrooms when we came,” said Rajneesh,a student of Class X. So the boys were being shifted upstairs.