Suspension of Officials Follow Death of 11-Year-Old in Thane School
An 11-year-old tribal student died after alleged medical negligence, leading to the suspension of three school officials.
Vivek Subhash Bhoye, a Class 5 student, died after a high fever.
School officials were suspended following an investigation into the incident.
Protests erupted from local tribal organizations demanding accountability.
An 11-year-old tribal student, Vivek Subhash Bhoye, tragically passed away at a government ashram school in Thane, Maharashtra, after reportedly suffering from a high fever for four days. The incident, which occurred on October 9, 2026, has led to the suspension of the school's principal and two other officials due to alleged medical negligence.
Vivek, a Class 5 student at the government ashram school located in Pise, was not promptly attended to despite his deteriorating health. It was only after four days of fever that the school administration contacted his mother, informing her of his condition. According to police reports, the warden, Rahul Zanjal, called her on the morning of October 9, stating that Vivek was ill and being taken to a nearby government hospital in Shahapur.
Upon arriving at the school, Vivek's mother found her son gasping for breath. When she questioned the principal, Jaywant Saple, and other staff about the delay in medical attention, her concerns were reportedly dismissed. After the school officials and the mother transported Vivek to the hospital, he died shortly after arrival, with allegations that the school staff left the scene soon after.
In response to the incident, Rajashri Galande, a project officer from the Tribal Development Department, confirmed the suspension of the principal, class teacher, and warden due to negligence. Following the mother's complaint, the Shahapur police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against the three officials under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. An investigation is currently ongoing, but no arrests have been made yet.
The incident has sparked outrage among local residents and tribal organizations, leading to protests outside the Tribal Development Department's office in Shahapur. Demonstrators have demanded accountability for the child's death and initially refused to accept his body until action was taken against the school officials. The situation was eventually resolved after the suspensions were announced and the case was formally registered against the accused individuals.
