: Two children of a residential school for dropouts run by a non-governmental organisation died under mysterious circumstances at Thirukovilur near here on Sunday.
The victims were identified as Ayyanar (8), studying Class III in the Annai Theresa Residential School run by Annai Theresa Trust, and Rajadurai (11), a Class VIII student.
While Ayyanar was brought dead to the Thirukovilur GH, Rajadurai died in the Government Medical College Hospital at Mundiyambakkam a few hours later.
The residential school for dropouts sponsored by the Government under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme has a total strength of 92 students from Classes I to VIII.
Sources said Ayyanar had complained of giddiness on Sunday night. He went to the bathroom to attend nature’s call at around 3.30 a.m.
When he did not return after some time, teachers in the school went in search of him and found him unconscious in the bathroom. He was rushed to the Thirukovilur GH where doctors pronounced him brought dead. Even as inquiries were under way, Rajadurai complained of vomiting, stomach pain and fainted at around 5.30 a.m.
He was rushed to the Thirukovilur GH and referred to Government Medical College Hospital where he died in the afternoon.
Ayyanar’s sister Subbulakshmi studying in the residential school was also admitted to the Medical College Hospital after she complained of fever. Her condition is said to be stable.
Though food poisoning was initially suspected, officials have ruled it out as the remaining children have no problems. An official said that Ayyanar was found unconscious by the school’s teachers with a swelling on his hand. Villupuram Chief Educational Officer S. Mars said that Rajadurai was stable till afternoon. But sodium and urea levels in his body dropped sharply, resulting in his death.
“The exact reason behind the deaths will be known only after the post mortem report,” Mr. Mars said.
Meanwhile, a team led by Revenue Divisional Officer Senthamarai inspected the residential school and conducted an inquiry. A medical team also checked the health condition of the remaining children. Officials from the Food Safety Department also collected samples of the food consumed by the children on Sunday for testing. Sources said the residential school lacked facilities and the hall where the students slept also doubled up as a room for storing firewood and kitchen utensils.
The bathroom in the school had a gaping hole on the wall and the possibility of insects and snakes entering the premises was not ruled out. The Thirukovilur police are investigating.
