13-year-old electrocuted while retrieving sandal from school rooftop in Kollam's Thevalakkara

Kollam: A Class 8 student was electrocuted at Thevalakkara Boys' School in Kollam district on Thursday morning after coming into contact with a low-hanging power line. The deceased, Mithun (13), son of daily wage worker Valayapadam Manu, was the elder of two siblings. His mother, Suja, works as a home nurse in Kuwait.

The incident occurred around 8.30 am, half an hour before classes began. Mithun was playing with friends when his slipper fell onto the roof of a cycle shed. He was electrocuted while climbing up to retrieve it and accidentally touched an overhead line. Though he was rushed to the nearby taluk hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.

According to the management of the school controlled by CPM, a request to relocate the dangerously slanted power line had already been submitted. However, locals alleged gross negligence and claimed repeated warnings about the hazard were ignored. Protests erupted outside the school premises, cutting across political lines. 

“This is a major lapse from the school authorities. A child's life has been lost,” said Mynagappally ward member Lally Babu. She added that no official complaints had been filed about the electric lines before the incident.

“This should never have happened,” said local MLA Kovoor Kunjumon. “If there’s been a lapse, the department must take responsibility. We believe there was serious negligence on the part of KSEB, and appropriate action will be taken.”

Education Minister V Sivankutty expressed deep sorrow and directed the Director of Public Education to conduct an immediate inquiry and submit a report. He also asked senior officials in Kollam to ensure enhanced safety measures in all schools.

“This is a deeply unfortunate incident,” the minister told reporters. “I’ve asked the Director to visit the school immediately, and I will visit the campus this afternoon.”

He noted that earlier the same day, the department had held a state-wide meeting with over 14,000 schools to review safety guidelines. One of the key instructions was to remove any electric wires passing over school buildings. The department is also probing whether the school had the mandatory fitness certificate required for operation.

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has launched a separate investigation into the incident.