Kerala Orders Probe into School Student’s Electrocution

Quick Summary:

• Kerala’s General Education Minister V. Sivankutty has ordered an inquiry into the accidental electrocution of a Class 8 student, Mithun (13), at a government-aided school in Kollam district.
• The incident occurred on Thursday, July 17, 2025, when the student climbed onto the school awning to retrieve his footwear and is suspected to have brushed against an overhead power line.
• Preliminary reports suggest fatal contact with a live power wire; local residents blamed the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) for not realigning the dangerously loose line near the school building.
• The Director of General Education and district-level general Education officers have been sent to investigate.
• V. Sivankutty called the death “extremely distressing” and stated that negligence on part of school management will be scrutinized.
• Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty has also ordered an inquiry but said details remain unclear until investigation reports are received.

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Indian Opinion Analysis:

This tragic accident sheds light on critical areas requiring immediate action: infrastructure safety in schools and accountability mechanisms for public utilities like KSEB. If preliminary observations by locals regarding poorly aligned power lines prove accurate, it signals systemic lapses in both electrical network maintenance and compliance checks around educational institutions. Equipping schools with adequate safeguards against such hazards should be prioritized as part of any broader educational reform.The dual inquiries led by ministers from both education and electricity departments indicate a prompt government response aimed at identifying failures comprehensively across sectors-yet actions following these findings will define their effectiveness. For now, this unfortunate incident underscores gaps that demand attention to prevent recurring tragedies involving vulnerable groups like children.