Snake Bites 6 Tribal Girls At Gadchiroli School; 3 Dead, Probe Ordered

Three tribal girls died and three others were undergoing treatment after a venomous snake bit them at a residential school in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, prompting the district administration to order an inquiry, officials said on Monday.

The incident occurred around midnight on Sunday at the hostel of an aided tribal residential school in Japtalai village, about 10 km from Dhanora taluka headquarters, a district administration official said.

The snake bit the girls while they were sleeping on the floor of the hostel. Three girls, aged eight, 12 and 14, died, while three others, aged between 11 and 14, were receiving treatment for snakebite.

Probe Into Safety Measures

District Collector Avishyant Panda said a detailed inquiry would be conducted to determine how the incident occurred, whether adequate protective measures were in place at the students' accommodation and whether the school management had complied with prescribed safety rules and precautions.

A thorough inspection of the school's safety arrangements would also be carried out, Panda said in a statement, expressing sorrow over the deaths.

Panda said the three students undergoing treatment were promptly administered anti-venom medicines and medical teams were closely monitoring their condition.

The Collector instructed the district surgeon to ensure there were no deficiencies in their treatment and that the students received special care.

Tribal Department Teams To Inspect School

Teams from the Tribal Development Department will inspect the site and gather information about the incident.

Panda said responsibility would be fixed and action taken as per rules if the inquiry found negligence or safety lapses.

Minister Assures Medical Support

Gadchiroli Co-Guardian Minister Ashish Jaiswal expressed sorrow over the incident and offered condolences to the bereaved families.

Jaiswal said he had instructed the administration to provide all necessary medical facilities and support to the students undergoing treatment.

He said responsibility would be fixed and further action taken on the basis of the Tribal Development Department team's inquiry report.