Education, Health depts directed to pay compensation to kin of snakebite victim

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission on Friday directed the Education and Health Department Secretaries to provide a sum of ₹5 lakh as compensation to the family of Shehala Sherin, a Class 5 student who died following snakebite in her classroom at the Government Sarvajana Higher Secondary School in Sulthan Bathery on November 20, 2019.

P. Mohanadas, member of the commission, directed the Health and Education Department authorities to take disciplinary action against the school authorities and the medical officer who had treated the girl after the snakebite.

It directed the District Police Chief to complete the investigation by a police officer not below the rank of DySP and submit the final report before the court concerned in a time-bound manner.

A medical board should take a final decision in a month regarding legal action to be taken against the medical officer, the fourth accused in the case, said the commission. The argument of the Health Department that the board was yet to be constituted due to the outbreak of COVID-19 was a grave mistake on the part of senior health officials, added the commission.

The Wayanad District Collector informed the commission that prima facie there was serious fault on the part of the school authorities in connection with the student’s death.

The commission issued the directives on the basis of a complaint submitted by a group of activists including U.A. Ajal Samajith, Sreejith Perumana, Mujeeb Rahman, Madasami and Rahim Pandalam.