Snake Kills Students in Odisha: Three School Kids Die of Snakebite in Keonjhar Hostel, Second Incident in One Week
Three minor students die and one hospitalised after being bitten by a poisonous snake in a private coaching center's hostel in Keonjhar district in Odisha.
Odisha, July 24: In a heart-wrenching incident, three minor students, two of them girls, lost their lives dues to snakebites in the early hours of Sunday at a private coaching centre's hostel in the Nischintpur village, Keonjhar district, Odisha. The unfortunate event unfolded around 3 am, claiming the lives of Raja Nayak, 12, a Class IV student, and two Class III students, Shehashree Nayak, 11, and Elina Nayak, 12. Another student, Akash Nayak, 12, from Class V, was rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in critical condition.
Reports suggest that nearly 100 students from various schools, belonging to classes I to V, were residing in the hostel, which consisted of three rooms with asbestos roofs. Due to insufficient beds, the four students were forced to sleep on the floor, leading to the fatal encounter with the venomous snake. According to the Times of India report, upon being notified of the incident, the Keonjhar district collector, Ashish Thakre, promptly ordered an inquiry to ascertain the circumstances that led to this devastating outcome. Palghar Snake Attack: Minor Girl Dies as Hospital Dismisses Snake Bite As Playtime Injury, Family Demand Strict Action Against Doctor.
An investigative team comprising additional tehsildar Ramesh Chandra Nayak and additional block education officers Gobinda Sahu and Narendra Nayak was dispatched to the hostel to conduct the inquiry. According to the hostel owner, Khageswar Mohanta, who is also a retired teacher, he was sleeping in the same room as the students when the snake attacked. He claimed to have swiftly taken action to eliminate the snake before it could harm others. Snake Bites Woman in UP's Unnao, Husband Brings Reptile To Hospital in Box; Video Goes Viral.
Despite routine precautions, such as daily sprinkling of phenyl, Mohanta expressed his sorrow over the unfortunate turn of events. The incident prompted many parents to withdraw their children from the hostel immediately.
This occurrence marks the second snakebite incident in Keonjhar district within a week, following the death of a student and hospitalisation of another at a different hostel located in Gumura village near Keonjhar town. In response to these incidents, District Education Officer P. C. Sethy has announced plans to conduct inspections at all coaching centres and private hostels in the region.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 24, 2023 10:39 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).