According to her classmates, S Shehala, a class five student, was sitting in her classroom when a viper bit her on the leg. (Photo: Sourced/ HT Photo)

A nine-year-old schoolgirl died after being bitten by a snake inside her classroom in Sulthan Bathery in Wayanad district on Wednesday. Her class teacher was suspended after angry relatives and students alleged serious laxity on the part of the school authorities. Later, the crowd also vandalized an office room of the school and tried to manhandle teachers.

According to her classmates, Shahla Sherin, a class five student, was sitting in her classroom when a viper bit her on the leg. They said though they alerted teachers that it may be a snake bite they dismissed it as a casual injury. Later the district education officer suspended her class teacher Sajil CV, of Bathery Government Sarvajana Vocational Higher Secondary School. Kerala Education Minister C Raveendranath has ordered an inquiry into the death of the class five student, news agency ANI reported.

Television channels aired visuals of the classroom with a hole beneath the desk where the child was seated.

The girl was taken to a nearby hospital after her leg turned blue and later she succumbed on her way to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

Parents and others said there were plenty of cracks and holes at Sulthan Bathery Government High School classes and it was ideal for reptiles to creep into them. They said they had made several complaints in this regard but nobody took them seriously.

According to her classmates she complained about the bite at 3.10 pm and school authorities waited till her parents came after 4 pm. They said her life would have been saved if the school had provided timely medical help.

However, school headmaster P Mohanan said there was no delay on their part and blamed the taluk hospital for her death. Later the district education officer suspended her class teacher Sajil CV. Kerala Education Minister C Raveendranath has ordered an inquiry into the death of the class five student.

Wayanad district collector Adeela Abdullah has also sought a report from the district education officer and school. Wayanad is represented by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Parliament.