Gumla: A student of Class V enrolled in a residential private school located at Rocho Mahuatoli in Lohardaga died of snakebite in her hostel room on Tuesday late night. Three others, who were also bitten, are stable, police said.School secretary Anup Bhagat said, ”The snake entered the hostel room around 11.40 pm and bit Varsha Oraon, 12, of Alaudi Nawatoli. Hearing her cries, Phulmania Oraon of Class II, Anisha Oraon of Class II, and Manisha Kumari of Class VIII, who were in the same room, woke up. They were allegedly bitten too. Teachers rushed them to the Lohardaga sadar hospital.”Civil surgeon Dr Raju Kacchap said, “Varsha was declared brought dead. Phulmania was referred to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims), Ranchi. Anisha and Manisha were admitted to the Lohardaga sadar hospital.”Officer in-charge of the Kuru police station, Ajit Kumar, said, “Varsha’s father Pranim Oraon filed a complaint, alleging that he received a call around 1:30 am from the school principal informing him that his daughter has been bitten by a snake and admitted to the Lohardaga sadar hospital. He found his daughter dead when he reached the hospital. An investigation has been launched into the incident. Varsha’s body was handed to her family after post-mortem examination on Wednesday.””Both Anisha and Manisha have been released from the hospital. Phulmani has shown improvement at Rims,” Bhagat added.In a statement, the school management stated that they have sanitised the campus. Special attention will be given to ensure the safety of the students in future, it said.The school was opened around one-and-a-half years ago and is still under construction. It has a total of 250 students enrolled in nursery to Class VIII.
