Power ministers acknowledge lapses after class 8 student is electrocuted in Kerala school
Following the incident, state ministers acknowledged lapses on the part of authorities and promised strict action.
The incident occurred before school hours, when the class 8 student was playing with friends. According to witnesses, one of his slippers fell onto the aluminium roof of a shed attached to the school building. While attempting to retrieve it, he climbed onto the shed and lost his balance, falling onto a low-lying electric line. He was trapped on the live wire for nearly 10 minutes before being brought down.
The boy, the son of a daily wage labourer, was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
The incident has triggered strong reactions from across the political spectrum. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed deep condolences and assured that the government would thoroughly examine the circumstances of the tragedy and take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Activists and student unions affiliated with Opposition parties staged protests at the school, holding the state government responsible for alleged safety lapses.
Electricity Minister K Krishnakutty admitted that there were lapses on the part of electricity board officials, specifically in allowing the low-lying electric line so close to a school building. Education Minister V Sivankutty also acknowledged failures among officials and vowed stringent action against those responsible.
Opposition Leader V D Satheesan of the Congress demanded a safety audit of all schools in the state. 'We raised this issue five years ago when a student in Wayanad died after being bitten by a snake in her classroom. There must be a probe into how this school received its fitness certificate. With the school under CPI(M)-backed management, the government cannot avoid answering these questions,' he said.
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