Kollam: A 13-year-old boy died after suffering an electric shock on his school premises in this district on Thursday, sparking protests by various opposition political parties. The victim has been identified as Mithun, a Class 8 student of Boys High School, Thevalakkara here, police said.The incident occurred at around 9.15 am, when he reportedly tried to retrieve a slipper that had fallen on top of the cycle shed adjacent to the school building, they said. A low-hanging electric wire was nearby, and Mithun was electrocuted while trying to retrieve his slipper. Students said the slipper had landed on the roof while he was playing football with friends. He died on the spot.His body was taken to a government hospital and later shifted to the medical college in Parippally for post-mortem. After the post-mortem, his body was handed over to his relatives. As directed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, State Finance Minister K N Balagopal and General Education Minister V Sivankutty visited the medical college to pay their last respects to the deceased student.Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph also paid his last respects to the boy. Mithun’s mother is working in Kuwait and has not yet been informed of the incident. His body will be cremated after her arrival. Until then, it will be kept in the mortuary of Sasthamcotta Taluk Hospital, the boy’s relatives said.His father said he had taken Mithun to school that morning. The State Human Rights Commission registered a case on its own in connection with the death. Commission member V Geetha directed the Director General of Education and the District Police Chief (Kollam Rural) to carry out an urgent investigation and submit a report within 14 days. The action was taken based on media reports.General Education Minister V Sivankutty described the incident as “extremely tragic” and directed the Director General of Education to conduct an inquiry and submit an urgent report. Locals alleged “lapses on the part of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) and the school management.” They claimed the accident was caused by the construction of the cycle shed with tin sheets dangerously close to an overhead power line running above the school ground.The shed was built against the wall of the school building, next to the playground. Although the power line had been overhead for years, the construction of the shed brought the tin roof too close to the line, they alleged. It is reportedly possible to access the shed directly from the classroom.Mithun allegedly used a desk to climb from the classroom onto the tin sheet. While trying to retrieve the slipper, he is believed to have slipped from the roof and come into contact with the electric wire.An official of the aided school management, which is controlled by a Pro-CPI(M) elected committee, said the shed had been constructed around 15 years ago and that no student had previously attempted to climb onto it, as the portion leading to the shed had been covered with a wooden board. Mithun is said to have removed the board to access the roof.Following the incident, several opposition political parties, including the BJP and the Congress, staged protests, alleging negligence on the part of the school management. BJP workers also burnt an effigy of Minister Sivankutty. The school management claimed that they had submitted an application to have the electric lines removed, but the KSEB stated that “no such application had been received”.State Power Minister K Krishnankutty has sought a report from KSEB officials. He said all aspects of the alleged lapses on the part of the KSEB will be investigated. KPCC president Sunny Joseph described Mithun’s death as “deeply painful” and called for strict action against the KSEB officials held responsible. A KSEB official said the incident occurred while preparations were underway to coat the electric lines in order to prevent such accidents.
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