Two sevashram girls die of 'snakebite'

KORAPUT: Two tribal girl students of a sevashram school reportedly died of snakebite in Nabarangpur district on Monday.
Basanti Bhatra, a Class IV student, died at Papadahandi hospital while Chandramani Bhatra of Class I died at the district headquarters hospital in Nabarangpur. Both the deceased were students of Kharki sevashram in Papadahandi block.
The sevashram is surrounded by thick undergrowth. Official sources said around 5 am the two students went out to ease themselves instead of going to the toilet. "After returning to the hostel, students complained of uneasiness and were rushed to Papadahandi hospital. When Basanti died, we shifted Chandramani to the headquarters hospital but she also died," said district welfare officer (Nabarangpur) Mukunda Nihal.
Quoting the doctors treating Chandramani at Nabarangpur hospital, Nihal said, "As Chandramani was frothing from the mouth, a symptom of snakebite, we suspect that the deaths are due to snakebite."
Out of a total strength of 510 students, as many as 330 students were present in the sevashram, which has Classes from I to VIII, on Sunday night. "If it would have been a case of food poisoning then other students would have also been affected. But none of the other students have complained of any health problem. The exact reason behind the deaths will be known once the autopsy report comes in," said Nihal.
According to the officer, Rs 5,000 each from the district Red Cross fund was given to the families of the deceased students. "After the autopsy report comes, an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 each will be given to the families of the students by the SC and ST development department," he said.