TIRUVANNAMALAI: The Arasaveli GTR Middle School located atop Jawadhu Hills is in news following the unnatural death of a Class VI student.
According to sources, K Sureshkumar (11), a resident of Pottikollai in Vellore district, was feeling uneasy at the school on February 7. The teachers informed his father Kamalakkan, who, in turn, alerted his wife and a relative. The two of them went to the school in forenoon, picked up the boy and started riding back home. However, he collapsed on the way and died.
Officials, including Project Officer of the Tribal Welfare Department Elango and Special Tahsildar, Adi Dravidar Welfare, Thirunavukkarasu, conducted an inquiry. Subsequently, headmistress Flori Antoniammal was placed under suspension on February 12.
Elango told Express, “Based on the statement of the boy’s parents, the headmistress was placed under suspension. A departmental inquiry is under way.” The parents of the deceased lamented about his son not being taken to a nearby hospital by the school authorities. “We fully agree that they are running the school in a good manner and teaching well. But, they could have taken my son to a nearby hospital immediately,” said Kamalakkan.
However, the teachers said that they did not foresee such a shocking incident.
Antoniammal said, “The boy was looking pale and he told us that he did not want to attend classes. So, we informed his parents. As he did not look unusual, we did not take him to hospital.” Another teacher said, Normally students who fall ill will immediately be taken to the nearby hospital and their parents will be informed. However, Sureshkumar looked normal but was looking a little dull. So we thought it wasn’t necessary to take him to hospital.” She also alleged that some vested interests were trying to politicise the tragic death of the student. “We are the only tribal school here with a huge strength of students. So, some persons who are jealous of us are trying to politicise the issue,” she alleged.