Rats bite six girls asleep in Maharashtra government hostel, inquiry ordered into school condition
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Rats bite six girls asleep in Maharashtra government hostel, inquiry ordered into school condition")
Representative Image Photograph: (ANI)
Parents claimed the hostel building has long suffered from inadequate cleanliness and maintenance, creating conditions that allowed rodents to enter rooms occupied by children.
Six schoolgirls were hospitalised after they were allegedly bitten by rats while asleep inside a government-run residential school hostel in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district, triggering an official inquiry and renewed concerns over the condition of state-run residential schools.
The incident occurred at the Zilla Parishad Girls' Residential School in Shani Shingnapur village in Nevasa taluka. According to officials, the students were sleeping in their hostel dormitory late on Thursday night when rats entered the room and bit them on different parts of their bodies.
School staff immediately rushed the girls to a nearby Primary Health Centre before they were referred to a rural hospital for treatment. Doctors administered anti-rabies vaccines and tetanus injections as a precautionary measure. Officials said all six students are stable and recovering.
Parents hold protests
The incident sparked protests from parents, who accused the school administration of negligence and poor maintenance. They alleged that rodent infestation inside the hostel was not a new problem and that repeated complaints regarding sanitation and pest control had gone unaddressed.
Parents claimed the hostel building has long suffered from inadequate cleanliness and maintenance, creating conditions that allowed rodents to enter rooms occupied by children. They have demanded accountability from school authorities and strict action against officials responsible for maintaining the residential facility.
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Govt officials visit campus
Following the incident, senior officials from the district administration and the education department visited the campus to assess the situation. Ahilyanagar Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Ashish Yeole directed officials to conduct an immediate inquiry into the incident and submit a detailed report. Authorities have also ordered pest-control measures and sanitation drives across the hostel premises.
Officials said they would review whether existing hostel safety and hygiene protocols were followed and examine if any lapses by the school administration contributed to the incident.
The episode has once again drawn attention to the state of government-run residential schools in Maharashtra, many of which cater to students from economically weaker sections and remote rural areas.
Demand for statewide inspection of government hostels grows
Over the years, concerns have periodically been raised over ageing infrastructure, inadequate hostel maintenance, shortage of housekeeping staff and delayed repair works in several government educational institutions.
Child rights activists say residential schools require regular health and sanitation audits as students spend most of the academic year on campus, making hostel hygiene a critical aspect of their safety and well-being.
The latest incident has prompted fresh demands for a statewide inspection of government hostels, with parents urging the Maharashtra government to ensure that residential schools maintain basic standards of cleanliness, pest control and student safety.
The district administration is expected to submit its inquiry findings after completing inspections, while education officials have assured that corrective measures will be implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.
