A class X student was beaten to death allegedly by a fellow student following a brawl in a classroom at the Zilla Parishad High School in the mandal headquarters town of Chandrugonda on Friday.
The scuffle between the two SSC students that left one of them dead came as a rude shock to the students and teachers of the State-run school bracing up for the approaching SSC public examinations.
Police said T Bhanuprakash, 15, a class X student, and one of his classmates had a minor scuffle over a petty issue during break.
Bhanuprakash felt dazed after being allegedly punched and shoved to the ground by his classmate.
School staff rushed Bhanuprakash to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in the town. However, he was declared brought dead. Sources said he might have died due to internal injuries to head or private parts.
Protest
Infuriated over the death of Bhanuprakash, who hailed from a poor Dalit family, relatives staged a demonstration in front of the PHC, blaming it on “lack of proper supervision” of school staff.
The stir lasted more than two hours.
They called off the stir following an assurance from the school education authorities to order a detailed inquiry into the incident and provide ex gratia to the bereaved family.
When contacted, Chandrugonda SI K Prasad said there were no external injuries on the body of the boy. “We are awaiting the post-mortem report to establish the exact cause of death,” he said.
Action sought against staff
Meanwhile, Balala Hakkula Sangham (BHS) State president Anuradha Rao sought action against the staff of the school for their alleged dereliction of duty.
A scuffle broke out between Bhanuprakash, a class X student, and another SSC student, over a blackboard duster issue and in the fight that followed Bhanuprakash died in the classroom, she said, adding that the shocking incident took place while the preparations for the school annual day were under way.
The government should provide Rs 30-lakh compensation to the bereaved family, she said.
