Wayanad: Sheer apathy of teachers, doctors

Wayanad: Shehala Sherin, 10, fought for her life for nearly three hours without proper treatment due to the lethargy of the teachers of her school and the doctors at Government Taluk Hospital, Sulthan Bathery.

Though she was bitten by a snake in the classroom around 3. 15 p.m., she was taken to a hospital by 3.50 p.m., that too, after her father reached the school. By then her left leg with bite marks had turned blue, according to students. Her classmates said they had alerted the teacher about two bite marks with blood but the teacher continued with the class even after the child screamed about snake bite. A teacher, Shijil, opposed her speedy hospitalisation saying that the blood marks might be due to some other injuries. According to the students, the teachers neither alerted the girl's father immediately nor ensured timely treatment.

According to her father Abdul Azeez, the teachers' delay and the lethargy of the doctors of Government Taluk Hospital resulted in the child's death. "When we took the child to Assumptions Hospital, Sulthan Bathery, just five minutes away, they directed us to the taluk hospital as there was no anti-venom in the hospital. But the doctor taluk hospital, who conducted some blood tests,  refused to administer anti-venom and referred her to Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode," Azeez said. The hospital is 100 km from Sulthan Bathery. They sought the help of doctors at taluk hospital, Vythiri, on the way to Kozhikode, but they too suggested them to shift her to MCH. It was only at Good Shepherd Hospital, Chelode, the doctors tried to save her life, but she died by 6 p.m.

Meanwhile a group of furious parents and public barged into the Sarwajana School on Thursday morning, causing damage to the building.

The window glasses of the school were broken in stone-pelting. A large posse of police has been deployed to prevent further trouble.

The Child Rights Commission and State Human Rights Commission suo motu registered cases in the incident and sought report from the education department.

Rahul Gandhi urges CM Pinarayi Vijayan to provide compensation to girl’s kin

Rahul Gandhi has requested the chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to provide compensation to the family of Shehla Sherin, the Class V student of Sarvajana Higher Secondary School in Sulthan Bathery who died from snakebites.

The Wayanad MP also wanted the general education department to conduct an infrastructure audit of public schools in his constituency.

In a letter, Mr Gandhi said despite the state being a pioneer in establishing quality public schools, "a promising life was tragically cut short in a place of learning."

"I also urge the government to formulate a time-bound action plan for infrastructure up-gradation of Sarvajana HSS and other public schools in Wayanad," his letter says. He promised to release funds for upgrading the school under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).