Kerala: Teacher, doctor of govt hospital suspended over death of Class V student due to snakebite

The widespread public protest in social media directed against the government, over the unfortunate death of a fifth standard student due to snakebite, has the state education officials on their toes, along with the state administration.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has promised strict action against those responsible for the lapses, in a post on Facebook.

Vijayan said that teachers are responsible to teach students how to act when a situation like this happens.

"But in this case, the fellow students say that even after they pleaded with the teachers to take the student to the hospital they completely ignored it. The incident is deeply saddening and I will interfere to ensure strict action is taken," he said.

The primary teacher was suspended by the Deputy Director, Education for the lapse while the Education Minister of the state has also ordered a detailed probe in the incident.

The Health Minister has also suspended, pending inquiry, the doctor of the Sulthan Bathery Taluk hospital, where the girl was taken for treatment, for initially failing to detect the snake bite.

Parents of the deceased child have accused the child of negligence, alleging the girl was made to wait at the school after the snake bit her and was taken to the hospital only after they reached the school.