Kollam: Hours after the funeral of Mithun (13), who was electrocuted at the Boys High School in Thevalakkara, officials from the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) removed the electric line that claimed the boy’s life. The action came amid public outrage over the presence of a hazardous electric line near the school building.

Mithun died on Thursday morning after coming into contact with a low-hanging live wire. According to witnesses, he was playing with friends when he was electrocuted while trying to retrieve a friend’s slipper that had fallen onto the roof of the cycle shed.

Following Mithun’s death, KSEB launched an investigation into the incident. The power line was removed immediately after the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights issued an order.

Mithun’s body was cremated at his residence on Saturday around 5 PM. Hundreds, including politicians, paid their last respects at a public homage held at both his school and home.

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission also registered a case suo motu in connection with the death. Commission member V Geetha directed the Director General of Education and the District Police Chief (Kollam Rural) to conduct an urgent investigation and submit a report within 14 days, based on media reports.

General Education Minister V Sivankutty described the incident as "extremely tragic" and directed the Director General of Education to carry out a detailed inquiry and submit an urgent report. Following the department’s directive, the school management suspended the headmistress over alleged lapses in ensuring student safety.

Locals alleged negligence on the part of both the KSEB and the school management. They claimed the accident occurred due to the construction of a cycle shed with tin sheets dangerously close to an overhead power line that runs above the school ground. The shed was built against the school building’s wall, adjacent to the playground. Although the power line had been overhead for years, the addition of the tin-roofed shed brought the structure dangerously close to the line, they said. It was also reportedly possible to access the shed directly from a classroom.

Mithun allegedly used a desk to climb from the classroom onto the shed's tin roof. While trying to retrieve the slipper, he is believed to have slipped and come into contact with the live wire.