Ganesh Puja Turns Tragic in Odisha School as Teacher Collapses Mid-ritual
Jena, originally from Antaroi village in Balasore district, had been serving at the Saleikena school for nearly seven years.
Bhubaneswar: What began as a solemn morning of devotion ended in heartbreak at a government school in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Wednesday, when a beloved teacher collapsed during Ganesh Puja rituals and could not be revived.
The incident took place at Saleikena Government Upper Primary School under Telkoi block, where staff and students had gathered for the annual celebration of Lord Ganesh. Amid chants of mantras and the fragrance of flowers, 42-year-old assistant teacher Chandan Kumar Jena suddenly slumped to the ground as he stepped forward to offer Pushpanjali (flowers) to the deity.
His colleagues and onlookers rushed to his aid, performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before taking him to Telkoi Community Health Centre. But despite their desperate efforts, doctors declared him brought dead. Initial reports suggest a sudden cardiac arrest.
Jena, originally from Antaroi village in Balasore district, had been serving at the Saleikena school for nearly seven years. Known among colleagues as dedicated and soft-spoken, he had earned the affection of both students and parents.
“We were all standing with flowers in our hands when the priest began the chanting. Sir moved forward to offer flowers and suddenly collapsed. We carried him to hospital, but doctors said he was no more,” recalled Headmaster Udaya Pradhan, his voice heavy with grief.
Another teacher, Dharanidhar Mahalik, added: “We tried our best—CPR, everything we could think of—but nothing worked. It was all so sudden.”
The unexpected tragedy has left the school and surrounding community in shock. Children who had come dressed in festive clothes for the puja were seen in tears as news of their teacher’s death spread. Villagers gathered at the school to console one another, struggling to comprehend how a day of devotion turned into one of mourning.
The authorities informed Jena’s family, who reached the school in the evening. The district education officials have expressed condolences and promised support to the bereaved family.