A major rescue operation in Gurdaspur, Punjab, saved 381 students and 70 staff members stranded at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Daburi village after severe flooding inundated the campus. The incident occurred when water from the nearby Kiran nullah overflowed, submerging the school under four to five feet of water. Authorities revealed that the nullah had not been cleaned for years, worsening the water accumulation in the area.

The rescue, led by the district administration with assistance from the Border Security Force (BSF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), faced significant challenges as broken and submerged roads prevented vehicle access. Boats from BSF and NDRF were deployed to evacuate those trapped, relocating them to safer locations in Lakhanpal village and Gurdaspur.

Local villagers played a critical role in the operation. Responding to appeals from a nearby religious place, several villagers used tractor-trolleys to navigate floodwaters and bring students to safety.

Authorities have held the school administration accountable for failing to evacuate students despite clear warnings and an official holiday announcement due to flood risk. Acting on directions from the Deputy Commissioner, the District Education Officer issued a show-cause notice to Principal Naresh Kumar for negligence in ensuring student safety.

Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh confirmed that water levels in the Ravi River have started receding but emphasized that rescue calls from flood-affected areas continue to pour in. Principal Kumar stated that despite the delay, students were provided with breakfast and water before the rescue teams arrived.

Humanitarian organization Khalsa Aid also deployed volunteers to support relief efforts. Locals noted that the flooding surpassed levels seen during the devastating 1988 floods and criticized the decision to establish the school in a flood-prone zone that faces annual waterlogging. The land for the school was originally donated by the Daburi village panchayat.