Kothagudem: A seven-year-old boy drowned while playing with his friends in a canal of the Sitarama Project in the Bhadradri-Kothagudem district on Tuesday.
The deceased Tholem Varun was a second-standard student in the Government Primary School at Arlapenta village of Dammapeta Mandal.
Police said Varun and two of his classmates were playing in a flooded area at the rear end of the school during recess period.
After returning to class, the teacher reprimanded them for wearing dirty school uniforms.
The teacher sent the children to their homes to change their dresses.
However, instead of going home, the children went to the canal to play in the water.
Varun accidentally drowned in the canal.
The other two students ran away from the area as they were scared, police said.
A villager, Balaraju, who was near the canal, saw Varun drowning. By the time Balaraju pulled Varun out of the water, he died.
Relatives of the three students protested outside the school, alleging negligence on part of the teacher. The school staff was also blamed for Varun's death.
