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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Snake bite kills three minor girls

Three hurt at a school in Gadchiroli run by a Congress leader AI generated image Mumbai: In a horrifying tragedy at the dead of the night, three minor tribal girls were killed and at least three others seriously injured after a venomous snake slithered into their hostel and bit the sleeping students of an aided residential ashram school near Dhanora, officials said. The incident, which has sent shockwaves in tribal belts across the state, occurred around 2 am today at a school linked with a...

Snake bite kills three minor girls

Three hurt at a school in Gadchiroli run by a Congress leader AI generated image Mumbai: In a horrifying tragedy at the dead of the night, three minor tribal girls were killed and at least three others seriously injured after a venomous snake slithered into their hostel and bit the sleeping students of an aided residential ashram school near Dhanora, officials said. The incident, which has sent shockwaves in tribal belts across the state, occurred around 2 am today at a school linked with a former Congress leader Marotrao S. Kowase’s Kupar Lingo Educational & Cultural Development Research Institute (KLECDRI). The school is located in the remote forested village of Japtalai, around 10 kms from the Dhanora taluka headquarters. Officials said at that time, around 80 girls were asleep on the floor when the snake sneaked in and bit at least six of the girls, sparking panic and outcry as the staff members rushed there. Three of the victim girls succumbed to the snake venom, and at least three others are reported to be critical, battling for life at the Gadchiroli District General Hospital – with the tragedy happening just a day after the World Tribal Day (09) celebrations. The deceased minor girls were identified as: Anu Koreti, 8, of Class II; Deepika Lakda, 12 of Class VI and Sushmita Mondal, 14, of Class VIII. Victim to Nagpur Among the injured is Deepa B. Madavi, 11, of Class V who is critical and she was flown in an air-ambulance to Nagpur’s GMC Hospital for advanced medi-care, said Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police M. Ramesh. Two other girls who are still in a serious condition are put on anti-venom treatment, and more than a dozen other frightened girls have been kept under observation as a precaution, informed the hospital’s medico Dr. Manish Meshram. Despite repeated attempts by ‘The Perfect Voice’, the head of the KLECDRI, Kowase, a four-time MLA and one-term MP and an ex-MoS for tribal affairs was not available for comments on the mishap at the ashram school. Govt to Probe The incident sparked outrage with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and district Collector Avishyant Panda ordering an inquiry to ascertain how the reptile could have entered the hostel premises, whether protective and preventive measures were in place and if the school authorities had complied with prescribed safety norms. A comprehensive inspection of the safety arrangements at the school will also be undertaken by the local administration and the Tribal Development Department, and if lapses are found action will be taken against those responsible. The hospital has been directed to ensure that there is no deficiency in the treatment of the injured victims, Panda told media-persons. Co-Guardian Minister of Gadchiroli, Ashish Jaiswal has asked the district and medical authorities to ensure all necessary support and medical assistance to the students. He said further action would be taken after the TDD submits its probe report into the incident. Wadettiwar Slams Congress Legislature Party Leader Vijay Wadettiwar targeted the state government saying it must ensure the cleanliness of the hostel, regular inspections, and snake prevention measures. If this responsibility is not fulfilled, it is not mere negligence, but a serious carelessness that has led to the deaths of three innocent lives. “We don't need festivals, announcements, and speeches in the name of tribals; save their children's lives! Immediately investigate the Japtala incident, take strict action against the guilty, and the government must give an account of the deaths of these three innocent girl students,” demanded Wadettiwar, elected from Brahmapuri assembly seat in the Gadchiroli-Chimur LS constituency. The incident has raised questions about the safety and preparedness at such residential ashram schools intended to protect vulnerable tribal kids, while the grieving families are left wondering how a poisonous snake entered the hostel.

Clever seat selection helped BJP to secure historic win

The party won 65 seats against Congress, 37 against NCP (SP) and 29 against Shiv Sena (UBT)

Clever seat selection

Mumbai: The BJP’s strategic seat sharing with the allies has proved beneficial for the party. An analysis of the Assembly election results show that the BJP has scored over its main rival, the Congress, in a big way because of the direct fights.


The analysis shows that BJP defeated all three constituents of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) – in the direct fights. This is attributed as one of the reasons for the BJP’s historic poll success.


The BJP contested 147 out of 288 seats. In 76 constituencies, it faced Congress. BJP secured victory in 65 seats and lost only 11 seats, making it a whopping 86 per cent of the total direct fights. This was followed by an even stronger performance against NCP (SP). Of the total 39 fights with Sharad Pawar’s party, BJP captured 37 seats making it 95 per cent of the total fights with NCP (SP). BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) were head-to-head in 32 constituencies, of which BJP emerged victorious in 29 seats, making this 91 per cent of the total direct contests.


According to a BJP strategist the party had bargained hard with its allies, Shiv Sena and NCP to get the desired constituencies in the seat sharing formula. “We had studied to potential candidates of the MVA. That helped us in choosing the seats where we can register comfortable victories,” the strategist said.


BJP spokesperson Niranjan Shetty attributed the success to all the party workers who worked hard to boost development, infrastructure in the state. He gave credit to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his contribution to the party’s success.


Shetty pointed out that in 2019, Uddhav Thackeray had stalled all the “novel” and “legendary” projects that Fadnavis had started when he had taken over as CM, making it very easy for the people of Maharashtra to strike a comparison between both the leaders and the potential they had for serving the people. “Devendra Fadnavis gave up his post very easily for the larger good. There are many such examples like Venkaiah Naidu who was BJP National President and later worked as the Vice President of India because that was the need of the hour. We seldom care about our posts,” Shetty told The Perfect Voice.


Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe refused to call the election results as the people’s mandate. “This is not at all a Janata mandate. Despite Maharashtra struggling with so many basic social issues, how can BJP acquire such a huge mandate is the question. If a student copies and fails with just passing marks, it can go unnoticed, but if a student copies and bags the number one position, something is fishy. Why is the BJP scared of ballot papers?” he said.

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