A 13 -year -old student was electrocked on the premises of a school in Kollam district in Kerala on Thursday, raising public resentment and questions on the safety of children studying in schools across the state.
After this incident, the state ministers accepted laps on behalf of the officials and promised strict action.
The incident occurred before school hours, when a student of class 8 was playing with friends. According to the witnesses, one of his slippers fell on the roof of an aluminum of a shed attached to the school building. Attempting to recover it, he climbed the shed and lost his balance, falling on a low-lone electric line. He was trapped on the live wire for about 10 minutes before bringing down.
The boy, the son of a daily wage laborer, was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.
The incident has initiated strong reactions from political spectrum. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed deep condolences and assured that the government would thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the tragedy and take steps to prevent similar incidents in future.
Opposition parties affiliated and student unions staged protests in the school, blaming the state government for alleged security flaws.
Electric minister’s Krishnakutty admitted that there was a brunt from the officials of the Electricity Board, especially in allowing a lesser electric line close to a school building. Education Minister V Shivkutty also acknowledged failures among the officials and strictly took action against those responsible.
The story continues below this advertisement
Congress opposition leader VD Satheson demanded security audit of all schools in the state. He said, “We raised the issue five years ago when a student in Wayanad died after cutting by a snake in his class. The school should be investigated how his fitness certificate got.
,
