'She ignored snakebite & kept dancing': Kochi student succumbs on school reopening eve

Kochi: On Monday morning, Niya Lenin's classmates will return to school carrying new books, fresh uniforms and hopes for a new academic year. But the seat reserved for the 13-year-old student in Class 8 at Aroor St Augustine’s Higher Secondary School will remain empty. After fighting for life for 24 days following a venomous snakebite, Niya passed away on Sunday morning, just a day before she was due to begin Class VIII.

The tragedy has left her family, friends, teachers and neighbours in mourning, bringing a heartbreaking end to weeks of prayers, fundraising efforts and hope that the young girl would recover and return to school.

The incident occurred on the evening of May 7 while Niya, youngest daughter of Lenin, who is the priest at a local temple, and Raji, was returning home after dance practice with friends. The children had been rehearsing for an annual day programme organised by their residents' association.

According to Joseph Francis, local ward member in Aroor Panchayat and a neighbour of the family, Niya felt a sharp sting on her leg at around 7.30 pm but assumed it was caused by a large black ant.

“She walked a little further and checked under a nearby streetlight,” Francis recalled while speaking to Onmanorama.

“A person from a neighbouring house asked her to sit down so they could check whether it was a snakebite. But she insisted it was nothing serious and said it was not a snakebite before returning home,” he added.

Despite concerns raised by those around her, Niya remained focused on the dance performance as she was so excited about it.

“Her friends were with her, and she kept saying they should continue practising. The child would not accept that it could have been a snakebite or that something serious had happened,” Francis said.

Saji, a relative and neighbour of the family, said that during the dance practice at the next house, the girl allegedly put turmeric powder on her leg saying that it could be either ant-bite or a frog might have rubbed on her leg. “There were no marks on her leg except a small line. It did not look like a snakebite either. So the family too believed Niya’s words,” he said.

However, the seriousness of the situation became evident only after Niya's condition deteriorated rapidly. “At one point, she told an auntie nearby, ‘I can't continue’. When they held her and looked at her face, they noticed her eyes rolling back and she was collapsing. That was when everyone realised that what she had believed was not the case, and it could be a snakebite,” Francis said.

By then, nearly an hour had passed. She was rushed to a nearby private hospital around 8.30pm, where doctors found her pulse rate had fallen significantly. On May 8, the doctors there referred her to Lakeshore Hospital in Ernakulam, where she was admitted into the ICU.

Medical examinations later indicated that she had sustained two bites, suspected to have been inflicted by a highly venomous Russell's Viper, locally known as ‘Anali’.

Since she danced and was physically very active after the snakebite, the poison spread into her body very fast.

Community rallies around family
Niya was placed on ventilator support in the Intensive Care Unit, triggering an outpouring of support from residents, teachers and local representatives.

Her father, a temple priest, and her mother struggled to meet the mounting treatment expenses. With little time to organise formal fundraising mechanisms, ward members, neighbours and well-wishers began collecting money through personal networks and direct contributions.

“Everyone came together and contributed whatever they could. We gave their UPI-linked phone number and urged people to send the money directly to their bank account,” said Sethu, another neighbour.

“Over the course of 24 days, treatment expenses reportedly rose to around ₹12 lakh. To meet the costs, Niya's father mortgaged the family's house and land to a cooperative society and obtained a loan of nearly ₹5 lakh,” Francis said.

Niya’s teachers came to know about the incident two days after the snakebite. “I had posted a message in the class group on May 9 about book distribution when her family called and informed us about the snakebite. We immediately rushed to the hospital,” Niya’s class teacher, Sheena NL, said.

Teachers at St Augustine's Higher Secondary School also mobilised support, collecting around ₹30,000 during the vacation period and planning additional contributions after the reopening of classes.

Hope of recovery
After spending weeks on ventilator support, Niya's condition showed signs of improvement. A few days ago, doctors removed ventilator support and shifted her to a general ward, raising hopes among relatives, teachers and classmates that she was recovering. Doctors said she was out of danger but would take time to recover.

Her class teacher, Sheena, visited her at the hospital last Wednesday.

“Her eyes were open, but I felt she could not see properly. She was not looking at us. Her gaze seemed fixed elsewhere. She also did not appear to hear when we called her. Even then, her parents remained hopeful and were planning to bring her home and continue treatment,” the teacher recalled.

Everyone believed the worst was behind her. However, her condition worsened suddenly on Saturday evening as her vital signs began fluctuating. Doctors noted a decline in her pulse rate and continued monitoring her through the night.

At around 7.30 am on Sunday, Niya passed away.

School reopening overshadowed by grief
The timing of the tragedy has deepened the sense of loss within the school community. Sheena said she received news of Niya's death while coordinating preparations for the reopening of school.

“There will be a condolence meeting. The children were waiting for Niya to come back. Tomorrow, when they enter the classroom, Niya won’t be there with her. She was a bright student who was active in extracurricular activities too. Her friends are in shock,” Sheena said.

Niya's mortal remains were cremated at Shanthivanam crematorium in Nettoor.