Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, strongly condemned the DMK government for the recent deaths of two schoolchildren due to snake and insect bites on government school premises. He labeled the incidents as “avoidable and heartbreaking,” blaming the government for neglect and poor maintenance that turned public schools into “death traps.”
In Valangaiman, Tiruvarur district, a student succumbed to a venomous snake bite within the school compound, while in Kumarapalayam, Namakkal district, a Class 3 girl lost her life after being bitten by a poisonous insect at a government school. These tragic events have sparked outrage among parents and locals, questioning the safety standards in state-run institutions.
Expressing sympathy to the grieving families, Palaniswami emphasized the need for safe learning environments in schools, criticizing the dangerous and unhygienic conditions prevalent in many government schools. He also highlighted an incident in Kallakurichi district where students were reportedly engaged in hazardous manual labor instead of being provided a secure educational setting.
Palaniswami called out the DMK government for prioritizing publicity campaigns over addressing critical issues, stating that claims of educational excellence in Tamil Nadu fall short when student welfare and infrastructure are disregarded. He demanded immediate compensation for the affected families and urged the government to enhance sanitation, campus safety, and maintenance in government schools to prevent further tragedies.
