Neglect, not snakes, killed them
Three tribal children died of snakebite in a government ashram school in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. Two more are hospitalized, one on ventilator.
The school had no beds. Children slept on the floor. The incident happened on a Sunday night. There was no warden. The nearest hospital is 10 km away.
This is not an accident. It is systemic failure.
Ashram schools are meant for tribal students in remote areas. The state spends money on them. Yet basic infrastructure — beds, medical staff, emergency transport — is missing.
The Maharashtra government has now cancelled the school’s license. That’s reactive. Where was the inspection before? Where was the monitoring?
Gadchiroli is a Maoist-affected district. The state uses ashram schools as a tool of outreach. But if children are not safe there, what message does it send?
Snakebites are common in rural India. What’s not common is dying because no one was there to help. The children cried for hours. Help came too late.
The Chief Minister has ordered an inquiry. There will be compensation. But money doesn’t replace lives.
The real fix: mandatory safety audits for all residential schools, 24x7 staff, tie-ups with local health centers, and accountability for officials.
Until then, “ashram school” will remain a euphemism for neglect. And more children will pay the price.