Rising student suicides and food poisoning in Telangana residential schools trigger outrage

A surge in student suicides and food poisoning cases across Telangana's government residential institutions has sparked public outrage. Activists and opposition parties are demanding accountability, with BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao slamming the Congress government's "misplaced priorities" in the education sector.

Hyderabad: In a worrying trend since the start of the new academic year, nearly a dozen students have died by suicide and multiple food poisoning incidents have been reported across Telangana’s government-run residential schools and colleges.

Just days after Tanusha Mahalakshmi, a Class 10 student, died by suicide at Kasturba Gandhi Girls School in Nalgonda, another tragedy struck on Saturday when a second-year Intermediate student from the Velpur Social Welfare Residential College was found hanging on the outskirts of Armoor.

---

The past week alone has seen a spurt in such incidents, with most victims aged between 10 and 17 years. S Shekhar, a first-year Intermediate student at a Tribal Residential College in Asifabad, also died by suicide. In another case, Sandhya, a Gurukul student from Toopranpet, jumped to her death from a dormitory building. Harikrishna, an Intermediate student from Maldakal in Mahabubnagar, consumed pesticide.

Mission Telangana, sharing details of the recent cases on X, said: “These back-to-back tragedies triggered widespread outrage among parents, activists, and opposition parties, who are demanding accountability from the Congress government.”

The education portfolio is currently held by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. The State government has repeatedly claimed it is giving top priority to the education sector by setting up integrated schools, improving food quality, increasing mess charges, and forming mess committees.

However, these claims are being seriously questioned in light of the rising number of student suicides and suspected food poisoning cases.

Last week, food poisoning cases were reported from several districts including Nalgonda and Jagtial. Around 35 students from a tribal welfare school in Mudigonda, Nalgonda, fell ill after eating snacks and dinner on Sunday. Similarly, more than 30 students of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Residential School at Lakshmipur in Jagtial fell sick on Thursday. In Vikarabad, students of KGBV Marpally staged a protest at the school gate demanding better food.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao has already hit out at the Congress government on X, criticising its indifference and misplaced priorities.

“Over 90 students died in various Telangana Gurukul schools and the Chief Minister did not even have time to acknowledge those deaths,” he said.

Taking a jibe at the State’s recent hosting of the Miss World event and the Chief Minister’s temple visits, Rama Rao added: “For Miss World contestants – the price of one plate of dinner is Rs.1 lakh. When the Chief Minister and his Ministers visit Vemulawada temple, the price of one lunch per person is Rs.32,000. But for students, the future of Telangana, the lunch is chilly powder and watery sambar. Another hallmark of a truly ‘focused’ Praja Palana.”