Asifabad: Villagers demand justice for parents of Ashram School student who died while undergoing treatment

They staged a dharna opposing handing over the body of Shailaja to her parents at Dhaba village in Wankidi mandal on Tuesday

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Villagers on Tuesday demanded the State government to ensure justice for the family of Choudari Shailaja, a student of an Ashram school in Wankidi mandal centre, who died while undergoing treatment at NIMS in Hyderabad on Monday.

They staged a dharna opposing handing over the body of Shailaja to her parents at Dhaba village in Wankidi mandal on Tuesday.

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The agitating villagers said that the student died due to negligence of the officials. They wanted a stern action against the officials holding them responsible for her death.

They wanted the government to get her family considering her financial background. They sought compensation and a government job for one of her family members.

The sleepy Dabha village has come under a blanket of security. Check-posts were erected on the borders of the village in four directions to prevent entry of outsiders.

The body was brought to the village to perform the funeral of Shailaja (14), who breathed her last on Monday evening. She was studying Class IX at the school. She was one of 64 students who fell ill after consuming dinner on October 31.

Meanwhile, Asifabad MLA Kova Laxmi was placed under house arrest in the wake of Shailaja’s death on Monday night. She expressed anger against the police for detaining her. She wondered whether she was authorized to console the bereaved parents of the student. She found fault with the police for imposing restrictions on her activities.

On the other hand, police prevented media persons from covering the protest of the villagers and funeral of the student. They criticized the government for stopping them from reporting the protest and funeral.