Twin deaths in Karnataka
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 19: Following Meghalaya’s intervention, the district administration of Mandya in Karnataka has decided to send the 22 students from Meghalaya to Bala Mandir, a rehabilitation centre, under the guidance of a child protection officer once they are discharged from the hospital.
It may be noted that two students from Meghalaya died in the southern Indian state due to food poisoning, causing widespread alarm. Twelve-year-old Namebantei Marwein, who hailed from Sohparu, Nongstoin, died on Tuesday. Earlier, 13-year-old Khrehlang Khongtani had passed away in the same school. He was a Class 7 student and hailed from Lyndem in East Khasi Hills district’s Pynursla.
The decision to rehabilitate the children was made during a review meeting chaired by Mandya’s Deputy Commissioner and attended by officials from Meghalaya led by Home Commissioner and Secretary, Cyril V Diengdoh on Wednesday.
The district administration also decided to allow the students to sit for the final examination this month, an official statement read.
According to the statement, it would be the priority of the district administration to ensure that the students can take their examinations at the Bala Mandir Centre.
District officials assigned would also monitor the diet plan of the students to be given by the doctor, the statement added.
After the review meeting at the Mandya DC’s office, the Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights had a brief interaction with the Meghalaya team of officials and inspected the school where the students suffered from food poisoning.
After the joint site inspection, the Chairperson visited the hospital where the students were being treated. The Mandya district head and other officials accompanied the child rights panel chief.
A Meghalaya official said the condition of all the students from the state was improving barring one still in the ICU.
On Tuesday, the Meghalaya officials met the ADC of Mandya seeking assistance for updates on the progress of the case and steps taken to ensure effective inquiry.
The Mandya district authorities agreed to give the Meghalaya team the report they had submitted to the Karnataka government and the report on the arrests along with the copy of the FIR, the list of students affected, the food samples tested, and any other additional information.
Thereafter, the ADC appointed the Deputy Director of School Education (DDSE) as the nodal officer to assist the Meghalaya team.
The DDSE took the Meghalaya team to the hospital to interact with the students undergoing treatment. The objective was to get some insight into how they got themselves enrolled in the school and the hostel.
Body of another
student arrives home
The body of 12-year-old Namebantei Marwein arrived in his village, Sohparu, Nongstoin, on Wednesday.
According to a relative, Marwein had been studying at a school in Karnataka with the support of an association. The school authorities kept the family updated on Marwein’s health condition from the outset, the relative said.
“We are satisfied with the treatment he received,” the relative said. “We would like to extend our gratitude to the school authorities and hospital staff for their efforts to save his life.”