A 13-year-old student of the Mamidiguda Residential Ashram School in Adilabad allegedly died of viral fever while undergoing treatment at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). The girl passed away on Wednesday, February 28.
The deceased is identified as Thodasam Maheshwari, who studying 7th grade at Mamidiguda Residential Ashram School in Adilabad. Maheswari suffering from a fever for a few days. On Tuesday her father visited the hostel and got her admitted into the RIMS. On Wednesday morning she passed away.
The girl’s family members and tribal organization leaders staged a protest on the old NH Road outside of the hospital, alleging that negligence of the school administration led to Maheswari's death and called for the suspension of the headmaster. The girl’s family also contended that the Project Officer of the ITDA failed to monitor the schools due to which the students are suffering.
According to the sources, M Laxman uncle of the deceased girl said that on Sunday, 25 February, the child's father visited the Ashram school and was assured by the headmaster that the child was in good health. He was notified that if she fell sick, they would promptly take her to the hospital and inform the parents. Upon not receiving any information till Tuesday, 27 February, her father visited the Ashram with food for his daughter. Her father found that the child had not eaten and was suffering from a fever. Her father immediately took her with him and just as they were walking outside of the Ashram, she collapsed. As the father did not have a phone, he sought help from passersby and rushed her to the nearby RIMS hospital, where she passed away.
The family members of the child initiated a protest outside of the hospital. They alleged that there are no Auxiliary Nursing Midwives stationed for the school and appealed to the authorities to incite action against the school administration for neglecting their duties. Adilabad Deputy Superintendent of Police Jeevan Reddy and ITDA Deputy Director Dileep Kumar visited the hospital and guaranteed that they would take measures to address the situation.
Superintendent of Adilabad Rural Police, Syed Mujahid said that a case was filed under the IPC section 304 (A) (Causing death by negligence). He also said that the case is under investigation and the headmaster has not yet been arrested. The district collector of Adilabad, Rahul Raj, issued orders to suspend the headmaster.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Lavanya Beeraboina)