A 14-year-old adivasi girl, studying in Class IX at the A.P. Residential Tribal Welfare School in ZP Colony, Araku Valley, collapsed on the school premises and died, on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Trisha, daughter of Buddu, a resident of Boriguda in Araku. According to sources, the girl collapsed shortly after eating the midday meal at her school.
Sources added that the girl was suffering from anaemia and might have died due to a severe haemoglobin deficiency.
Kilo Surendra of Girijan Sangham said that sickle cell anaemia was rampant in Visakha Agency, and this could be the cause behind the girl’s death. Moreover, as schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students were not getting good food as most parents would be unable to provide their children even three square meals a day at home. Many students are dependent on the mid-day meals that are provided at schools.
However, a few villagers alleged that even the school was not providing nutritious food to students.
