Private school urged to pay medical expenses of ‘injured’ student

Karnataka State Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) has warned that it will close the main door of Vidyaranya School in Yadgir and put thorns on it if the school authorities fail to pay the medical expenses of a student whom a schoolteacher assaulted with a stick on his head.

Addressing a press conference in Yadgir on Tuesday, State coordinating organiser of the samiti Mallikarjun Kranti said that a teacher assaulted Manish Venkateshwar who is studying in sixth standard in the school, with a stick on his head in August 2023.

After the incident, Manish developed pain in his head and his father, Venkateshwar, took him to a government hospital in Yadgir for consultation and as per a doctor’s suggestion, he was later taken to a private hospital in Solapur.

Then, he was taken to Narayan Health Centre and NIMHANS in Bengaluru on different dates where doctors advised surgery as there was a blood clot in the boy’s head. They suggested that Venkateshwar arrange ₹8 lakh to ₹10 lakh for surgery, Mr. Kranti explained.

He further said that Venkateshwar approached the school administration and requested them to pay the medical expenditure for his son. But his request was completely turned down by the administration.

Then, Venkateshwar submitted a requisition to the Deputy Director of Public Instruction. However, the problem has not been solved yet. He said that it has, therefore, been decided to close the main door of the school and put thorns on it until the problem is solved.

Venkateshwar said that he is an agriculturist and spent around ₹2 lakh so far for his son’s hospital expenditure and is now unable to bear further expenses. “The school administration should pay the money which is required to be paid for surgery, he demanded.

The Deputy Director of Public Instruction wasn’t available on phone for his comments.

When called, administrator of the school Mahesh denied the charge made against the school authorities. He said that no such incident happened in the school and that these are all efforts to tarnish the reputation of the school.