Congress Seeks Probe Into Deaths of Tribal Children

New Delhi: Adivasi Congress chairman Vikrant Bhuria on Monday demanded a special committee to investigate the deaths of tribal children allegedly due to malnutrition in Madhya Pradesh and the deaths of girl students following a snakebite at a tribal hostel in Maharashtra.

He also sought action against officials found responsible and a comprehensive safety audit of tribal hostels.

Addressing a press conference, Bhuria claimed that 22 children from the Baiga tribal community had died from malnutrition and related illnesses in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district.

He alleged that the supply of nutritious meals to tribal households had been discontinued for the past six months and that the nearest primary health centre was about 20 km away.

Bhuria also claimed that land titles granted under the Forest Rights Act had been cancelled in the affected areas and that vaccination coverage was below 80 per cent.

He said families of the deceased children had been given compensation of ₹20,000 each. Citing questions he had raised in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, he sought details of the funds allocated and spent on tackling malnutrition in tribal blocks between 2020 and 2025.

According to Bhuria, the government said malnourished children were being provided nutritional meals costing only ₹12 a day. He alleged that the women and child development department had made no separate budgetary provision for the programme in tribal areas.

Turning to Maharashtra, Bhuria criticised the state government over the deaths of students following a snakebite at a tribal hostel in Gadchiroli.

He alleged that more than 70 girls had been made to sleep on the floor of a single room because of inadequate facilities. Six girls were hospitalised after the incident and three of them died, he claimed.

Bhuria said students in Nashik were continuing a hunger strike over conditions in tribal hostels and demanded urgent improvements in safety and infrastructur