Students from government-run schools and members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) were protesting over the alleged negligence of school authorities in the death of a 10-year-old girl.
Clashes broke out between police and students after protesters breached a barricade and entered a police station in the Waynad area.
The students marched through the streets holding placards, chanting slogans, demanding stern action against the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and teachers who “refused to rush the student to hospital”. When the protesters turned violent, police used batons to disperse them.
Kalpetta,Wayanad: Students Federation of India(SFI) members clash with Police during protest against the death of a 10-year-old student. The student died yesterday allegedly after being bitten by a snake in school in Sultan Bathery,Wayanad. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/qPPU8HhkdK
— E Patrakaar - Shravan Shukla (@epatrakaar) November 22, 2019
Shehal Sherin, a fifth standard student of a government school in Kerala’s northern district of Waynad died after she was reportedly bitten by snake in her classroom. The girl’s classmates and family have accused the school of negligence in taking quick action to save the girl.
Dr, Sir @RahulGandhi. A school girl has died of a snake bite at #Wayanad. Stdnts say the deaths were caused by the negligence of the teachers. & the school is deprived of the infrastructure like a proper toilet. Take action against teachers and school committee as soon as pssble. pic.twitter.com/JeUZHZEwGy
— Sadik bareppadi ℹ (@sadikputtur) November 21, 2019
The crumbling state of the school is also being pointed out by the family. The snake was inside a burrow of the classroom wall and is suspected to have bit the girl through a hole in the concrete floor.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also wrote to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, asking the state government to conduct an audit of the schools as their “crumbling infrastructure” needs urgent attention.
