BJP women's wing demands probe into death of tribal children

Thane, Oct 17 (UNI) Maharashtra BJP women's wing president Manisha Chowdhary has demanded a probe into the death of four tribal children in different ''ashram'' schools in this district over the past two months.

Talking to UNI over the phone from Dahabur, Ms Chowdhary alleged that the concerned officials, including the project officer and head masters of the ''ashram'' schools, had never bothered to inquire into the deaths and even compensation has not been paid to the families of the children.

As per government instructions, if a student in an ''ashram'' school is unwell, the authorities are not supposed to send the student home. Instead, the student is required to be provided medical treatment and sent home only after being found absolutely fit, she said adding that in these cases, the norms were flouted.

On October 7, a fifth standard student of the Khambala Ashram school in Dahanu taluka, Arvind Suresh Bari, had died of electric shock. Ajay Sadanand Bombte, also a fifth standard student of Lalthane Ashram School in Palghar had died on October 12 of a sickness. Despite being sick, the school authorities had allegedly sent him home without ensuring his medical treatment.

Ashok Deoo Sutar, a fourth standard student of the ''ashram'' school at Rankol in Dahanu taluka had gone home for Ganesh Chaturthi festival where he had died. The school authorities allegedly were not aware of his death and had not even inquired as to why he had not returned to school. Earlier, a second standard student of the ''ashram' school at Mahalakshmi in Dahanu taluka, Rahul Yeshwant Golimb, had also died under similar circumstances on September 9.

UNI