A Class 2 student studying in the Government Primary School in Shamshiguda, Kukatpally, died on Thursday after he was bitten by a cobra.
Sources said that the boy, A. Kishore, was bit by the snake at around 10.30 am when he had gone to relieve himself in an open space on the school premises. He soon started frothing in the mouth and lost consciousness. By the time he was taken to the hospital, he died.
While the police said that the actual reason for Kishore’s death could only be confirmed after a post-mortem, locals located and killed the snake at around 12.30 pm.
Balanagar mandal education officer Y. Vara Kumar said, “It is very unfortunate that the kid’s life ended in a tragic manner. We cannot confirm if he died of snakebite or due to some other reason but his body turned dark within an hour.”
Sources said that around 550 primary and 200 students study in the high school on the campus and due to rush in the toilets, many children often urinate in the open space.
“The practice is discouraged by us, but it still continues,” Mr Vara Kumar added. As the news spread, locals gathered in the school and blamed the administration for negligence and held them responsible for Kishore’s death. They also blamed the school for not providing a healthy environment and quality education to their children.
Sources said that irregular maintenance had led to the growth of bushes and shrubs inside the school and since extension work was going on there was a lot of debris in the premises which is ideal for insects and reptiles to hide. When asked about the bushes and debris in the school, Ranga Reddy district education officer M. Swami Reddy said, “I am unaware that the school premise is grimy.”