Two separate teams from Jharkhand school education and literacy department and West Singhbhum district administration will probe into the allegation of medical negligence over the death of an eighth grader in a state-owned residential girls’ school in Tonto in the district.
“We have come to know about the incident. A three-member team from the state education and literacy department has already reached the district and another team has been constituted by the West Singhbhum deputy commissioner (Ananya Mittal) to probe into the serious allegation. We will take action only on the basis of the team’s report,” said Jharkhand school education and literacy department secretary K. Ravikumar.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (a coalition of human rights organisations in Jharkhand), has called for action against those responsible for the death of the tribal girl.
In a tweet on Sunday late evening, the Mahasabha claimed (after a visit by their team to victim’s family in Hatgamharia block) that the tribal girl Ludri Hembrom a Class VIII student of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Awasiya Vidyalaya in Tonto had died in the hostel on June 22 and had been sick for ‘five days’.
“She was sick for five days but she was not sent to the hospital. Till now no action has been taken against anyone. On June 22, when she was vomiting, the teacher was called repeatedly but she did not come. By the time she came, Ludri had passed away. In the hospital, the doctor clearly said that she had died three hours ago. Ludri’s mother Jambi Hembram was not even informed by the school that her daughter was unwell. After the death of the daughter, she was called and the dead body was left in the village. The officials did not even get the post-mortem done,” alleged the Mahasabha in a tweet and tagged Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren.
“There is a lack of basic facilities in the school and there is a problem of drinking water in schools and hostels. Sometimes you have to drink bathroom water too. On one hand, schools of excellence are being built, on the other hand, the condition of Kasturba schools is pathetic,” the Mahasabha claimed in a statement.
It also demanded that an FIR be registered against the culprits of Ludri’s “murder”.