Snake bites Class 1 student in Kolkata; search ordered: Forest dept

Incident and Response

A Class 1 student at Mitra Institution in the Bhawanipore area of Kolkata was allegedly bitten by a snake inside the school on Monday morning, officials said. The incident occurred around 8:30 am to 8:40 am, with reports differing on the exact time: one account from the Hindustan Times places it around 8:40 am, while The Tribune reports it as 8:30 am during the tiffin break. The student, identified as either Drupto Pal (as per The Tribune) or Dipra Pal (as per Hindustan Times), was taken to the nearby state-run SSKM hospital.

The teacher-in-charge of the morning section immediately rushed the child to the hospital, which is less than two kilometres from the school. The school authorities informed the child's family and took him to the hospital, where he was admitted. According to a senior hospital official quoted by The Tribune, "The boy is currently under treatment and his condition is stable," and he has been kept under observation. Tests were conducted, and further treatment will depend on his clinical condition and reports. The Hindustan Times quoted doctors as saying the snake was venomous and that the boy was given anti-venom. The headmaster, Raja Dey, told the Hindustan Times that "He is doing fine now."

School and Forest Department Actions

The school authorities informed the Forest Department and sought assistance to inspect the premises. According to reports from the Hindustan Times, the forest department searched the classrooms, but no snake was found; CCTV footage was also checked. Dey was quoted as saying, "We are going to close early today as the forest department officials said they would conduct a thorough search of the school premises. We have purchased carbolic acid and bleaching powder to sprinkle."

Dey also mentioned that some of the student's classmates alerted the teachers, and he noted that he had never heard of such an incident in the school. Mitra Institution, over a century old, is located in Bhabanipur, South Kolkata, near the residence of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Recent Similar Incident

The incident comes days after a Class 3 student was allegedly bitten by a snake inside the premises of a prominent private school in Kolkata, according to The Tribune. The Hindustan Times added that on August 18, a Class 3 student was bitten by a snake in a private English medium school in East Kolkata; she was admitted to a private hospital and discharged a day later. This marks the second such incident in the city in the last week, as reported by the Hindustan Times.

Authorities have not provided further details on the investigation, but the school's proactive response and the forest department's inspection were highlighted in the reports.