Kerala Schoolboy’s Electrocution: Headmistress suspended; government acts on safety lapses

NEW DELHI: A day after the tragic electrocution death of a 13-year-old student at his school in Kollam district, Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Friday announced immediate action, including the suspension of the school's headmistress and a show-cause notice to the management. Mithun, a student at Thevalakkara Boys High School, died after coming into contact with a live electric wire on the school premises.

Addressing reporters here, the minister said the government had received a detailed report from the Director General of Education and was acting swiftly in response. "We have lost a son of Kerala," Sivankutty said. Among the steps taken, the school's Parent-Teacher Association will be reorganised, the Assistant Educational Officer will be asked to explain the failure , and the management has been given three days to respond to the notice.

Free schooling for sibling till Class 12

Support for Mithun's family includes Rs 3 lakh in emergency aid, construction of a new house through the Scouts and Guides, and free education up to Class 12 for his younger sibling. Sivankutty said a government circular issued in May had already warned schools to identify and report electrical hazards before reopening. "The circular was clear. There can be no excuse," he added.