3 weeks ago
Snakebite kills 3 tribal girls at Gadchiroli school hostel
Some snakes have poison in their bite, which is called venom.
At a residential school where tribal girls live and study in India, a venomous snake came into the room where students were sleeping.
Six girls were sleeping on the floor when the snake bit them.
Three of the girls, who were 8, 12, and 14 years old, became very sick and sadly passed away.
The other three girls received special medicine called anti-venom to fight the poison.
One of them became very ill, so doctors flew her to a big hospital in another city for better care.
The district official in charge asked for a careful check to find out if the school was safe and if safety rules were followed.
Some families said the school was not careful enough to protect the children.
A government minister visited the school and promised that the girls in the hospital would get all the care they need.
A venomous snake bit six tribal girls sleeping on the floor of a hostel at an aided tribal residential school in Japtalai village, Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra, around midnight on Sunday.
Three girls, aged 8, 12 and 14, died while undergoing treatment; the three survivors, aged 11 to 14, were promptly given anti-venom medicine.
One survivor's condition suddenly turned critical and she was airlifted, with the help of the district administration and police, to GMC Hospital in Nagpur.
District Collector Avishyant Panda ordered a detailed inquiry into how the snake entered the hostel and whether adequate protective measures and safety rules were in place.
Families and villagers alleged gross negligence by the school management, while Co-Guardian Minister Ashish Jaiswal headed to the school and assured full medical support.
- Who
- Six tribal girls at the aided tribal residential school in Japtalai village; three died (aged 8, 12 and 14) and three survived (aged 11 to 14). District Collector Avishyant Panda ordered an inquiry and Co-Guardian Minister Ashish Jaiswal headed to the school.
- What
- A venomous snake bit six girls sleeping on the hostel floor, killing three and leaving three hospitalized, one of them critical.
- Where
- Hostel of the aided tribal residential school in Japtalai village, about 10 km from Dhanora taluka headquarters, Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra.
- When
- Around midnight on Sunday, in the early hours of Monday.
- Why
- The girls were sleeping on the hostel floor when a venomous snake entered; an inquiry will determine whether adequate protective measures and safety rules were in place.
Families and Villagers
School Management and District Administration
Responsibility for the incident
Families and Villagers
Families of the dead students and villagers allege gross negligence by the school management, a disregard for student safety, and dissatisfaction with the arrangements made after the incident.
School Management and District Administration
The district administration says a detailed inquiry and Tribal Development Department inspection will determine whether adequate protective measures were in place and whether safety rules were followed; responsibility will be fixed and action taken if negligence is found.
Key facts
- Deaths
- 3 girls aged 8, 12 and 14 (Deepika Lakda, Sushmita Mandal, Anu Koreti)
- Hospitalized
- 3 girls aged 11-14 (Deepika Madavi, Kavita Kiranga, Samruddhi Suresh Naitam); one critical
- Incident time
- Around midnight Sunday / early Monday
- Location
- Aided tribal residential school hostel, Japtalai village, Gadchiroli, Maharashtra
- Distance from Dhanora
- About 10 km
- Treatment
- Anti-venom administered; cases moved from rural hospital to District General Hospital, Gadchiroli; critical student airlifted to GMC Hospital, Nagpur
- Inquiry
- Ordered by District Collector Avishyant Panda; Tribal Development Department to inspect the site
- Allegations
- Families and villagers alleged gross negligence by the school management
Quotes
Gadchiroli's co-guardian minister Ashish Jaiswal
Co-guardian minister of Gadchiroli
“A detailed inquiry will be conducted to ascertain exactly how the incident occurred, whether adequate protective measures were in place at the students' accommodation, and whether the school management complied with required safety rules and precautions.”
rediff.com
“"Deepika Lakda, a Class 6 student, and Sushmita Mandal, a Class 8 student, died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dhanora. Anu Koreti, a Class 2 student who was being treated at Gadchiroli District Hospital, later died,"”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
3 Tribal Girls Die After Venomous Snake Bites 6 At Gadchiroli Ashram School
3 Girls Die, 1 Critical After Snake Bites 6 At Maharashtra School Hostel
Snake bites 6 tribal girls at school in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, 3 dead
Snake bites 6 tribal girls sleeping on hostel floor, 3 die
Snake bites 6 tribal girls at Gadchiroli school, 3 dead
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