Sulthan Bathery : The Principal and Head Master Vocational Higher Secondary School in Bathery, has been placed under suspension in connection with Shahala’s death – the 10-year-old who succumbed to snakebite owing to callousness on part of school authorities.
The PTA(Parents Teachers Association) too has been dismissed.
Deputy Director of Education Department initated the suspensions, following talks with the students who staged demonstrations against school authorities, holding them accountable for the tragedy.
The school had suspended a teacher, Shajeel, on Thursday in this regard.
The district judge, on Friday morning, inspected the classrooms and school premises, amid black flag protests staged by the students there.
Te district collector has submitted a report, citing school apathy that caused crucial delay in buildup to the tragedy.
The incident took place on 20 Nov around 3.30 pm. 10-year-old Shehala Aneez’s foot got stuck in a hole under her bench. As she attempted to retrieved it, a snake coiled up inside bit her twice, leaving two reddish marks under her foot.
Crying and with blood oozing from the bites, Shahala alerted the teacher. The school authorities however maintained a callous attitude, asking her father to come and do the needful.
Eventually the father arrived. However, owing to lapse of nearly three hours - first hour at school, the travel, then Taluk hospital that refused anti-venom treatment, - Shehala slipped into acute distress and died from the poisoning.
