Two children studying in a residential government-aided school in Villupuram died under mysterious circumstances on Sunday. Nearly 92 students study in the school and live at the hostel in which the two children died.
According to India Today, the children studied at Undu Uraividapalli, a school run by an NGO under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan at Thirukovilur, Villupuram in Tamil Nadu.
Ayyanar, an 8-year-old, was found dead near the hostel toilet by other children in the wee hours of Sunday. Before the police could move Ayyanar's body to a hospital, his 11-year-old sister, Subbulakshmi, also collapsed along with another 11-year-old boy Rajadurai.
Shocked officials rushed them to the Villupuram government hospital but the doctors failed to save Rajadurai’s life. They were, however, able to stabilise Subbulakshmi.
The cause of the deaths is unknown. A special medical team was sent to the hostel to conduct a medical examination of the other children in the school.
A team sent by the village administrative office inspected the hostel. The hostel was found to be mismanaged and lacking in proper infrastructure, including basic sanitation and clean drinking water for the children.
The police have filed a case and begun the investigation, but are waiting for the post-mortem report to clarify the actual cause of death of the two children.