MP mid-day meal worker dies in bee attack; teachers save 20 students

Indore: A woman associated with the midday meal programme died in a bee attack near an anganwadi building in Ranpur village of Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district on Wednesday. As many as 20 primary school students escaped unhurt, thanks to their teachers' quick response.The bee attack occurred around 3.30pm when primary classes were being held in the anganwadi premises, as the nearby school building is dilapidated. Anganwadi activities had ended for the day. Kanchan Bai Meghwal, president of Jai Mata Di self-help group, was washing clothes at a hand-pump about 50m away when a swarm of bees attacked her. In panic, she ran towards the anganwadi building and the insects followed her inside.As the bees entered the building, teachers — Mangla Malviya, Gunsagar Jain, and Kamla — immediately covered the kids with mats and tarpaulin sheets and kept them sheltered until the swarm dispersed. None of the students was injured, Malviya said.Kanchan Bai, however, suffered multiple stings. After the situation settled, she was taken home, where her condition deteriorated, and she succumbed. She was in her forties. WCD programme officer Ankita Pandya said Kanchan was her family's sole earning member. Her husband, Shivalal, is paralysed. The couple have three children.Villagers said the hive was near the only hand-pump in the settlement, forcing residents to risk approaching the area. They demanded the hive's immediate removal and financial assistance for Kanchan's kin.Authorities termed the death accidental. SP Ankit Jaiswal said the death was recorded and the body handed over to the deceased's family. The district administration has coordinated with the forest department and panchayat to remove bee hives from vulnerable areas.