Snake Bite Scare In Telangana’s Residential Schools Besides Food Poisoning And Suicides
Similar incidents have occurred in other schools as well, affecting students as young as those in Classes 1 and 3.
Hyderabad:Apart from food poisoning and suicides, snake scares have emerged as another serious concern plaguing Telangana’s residential schools.
“Seeing snakes on campus is an everyday affair,” said parents and teachers alike. Last August, a residential school in Peddapur, Jagtial, reported multiple snake bite incidents, with two Class 6 students passing away, allegedly due to snake bites.
The incidents were repeatedly reported at the same school, and during an inspection, authorities discovered a nest of snakes hiding among the sheds. Similar incidents have occurred in other schools as well, affecting students as young as those in Classes 1 and 3.
“Not just snakes — it is common to see scorpions, rats, stray dogs, and langurs roaming around the campus,” said a parent who has two children studying in welfare schools — one in Ibrahimpatnam and another in Nallakanche.
“The attitude of the teachers is hostile, and they don’t respond properly when we ask about our child. In the Ibrahimpatnam school, my child told me about cockroaches in the food, and the other child said they get drinking water from borewells. The food is oily most of the time, and the school does not have enough washrooms. These things keep me worried about my children’s safety and health,” she told Deccan Chronicle.
On Wednesday morning, a snake was spotted in one of the faculty washrooms in the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Boys’ Residential School in Nagarkurnool. The schools are not safe for either students or teachers.
“The schools are mostly located far from cities, surrounded by fields or forests. While all schools do have security guards, many lack other safety measures to prevent snakes from entering the campus,” said a teacher from a residential school in Khammam.
Teachers and parents have reported that most schools lack a peripheral wall, wire mesh on windows, and proper flooring. There are pits in the ground that serve as resting places for snakes and rats. In December 2024, five girls of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule BC Welfare School in Keesara were bitten by rats while sleeping in their hostel at night.
“The schools are being run in buildings that are not suitable for residential purposes. These are buildings that earlier housed engineering colleges or are private and commercial buildings. The government pays about `4 lakh as rent per month for each of these schools. Where will the funds come from for maintenance and security? Principals are barely managing with food and water,” said a teacher from Khammam.
“The government has announced new integrated residential school buildings to be constructed with a massive budget of `11,000 crore, but when that will come into being, no one knows. Until then, we have to manage with what we have,” said a teacher from TSUTF.
Each school has a health supervisor, a loco parent (a staff member), and a house master staying on campus during the night. In some schools, the staff members do not stay overnight and leave for their homes as early as 4.30 pm. In case of health emergencies, the teacher on duty has to take the child to the nearest medical facility. “In some areas, schools are located far from medical facilities, resulting in delays in treatment,” said one teacher.
· June 29, 2024 – Class 3 girl from Achelli village in Asifabad bitten by a snake.
· Peddapur Residential School, Jagtial:
August 9, 2024 – Two Class 6 students allegedly died of snake bites
August 12, 2024 – Sanitation drive reveals nest of snakes in the school
December 18, 2024 – Two students bitten by snakes
July 3, 2025 – Another student bitten by a snake
· September 2024 – Class 1 student bitten by a snake in Adilabad
· November 21, 2024 – Class 7 student of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule School in Kothepalli, Karimnagar, bitten by a snake
