india

Updated: Sep 07, 2019 19:23 IST

With hardly two teachers, including the headmaster, Syed Abdul Lateef Khan, the government’s primary school at a village of Vengalampalli in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district, which lacked proper infrastructure and teaching staff, never really had many visitors, or full attendance.

Apart from the 60-odd students who would usually skip the school, there was one student who attended each class regularly, browsed through textbooks, played with students and even would sit through the lunch break with the kids.

The two-year-old female grey langur, fondly called “Lakshmi” by the students, was a star at the school. Her presence not only brought the cheers but also the kids who had forgotten the road to their school. Suddenly, despite all the flaws, the school started receiving 100 per cent attendance, all thanks to Lakshmi.

But sadly, on Saturday, Laskhmi died after being attacked by stray dogs.

Syed Abdul Lateef Khan, headmaster of the government primary school Vengalampalli of Peapully block, told Hindustan Times that the langur which was fondly called “Lakshmi” by the students, went out of the school compound during the lunch hour and was attacked by stray dogs.

“Normally, Lakshmi used to join the students during the lunch-hour too and used to eat bananas and other available fruits offered to her. This afternoon, she somehow went out the premises and fell victim to the stray dogs. By the time we went out to rescue her, she was already dead,” Lateef said.

The langur had come to the school from nearby forests of Peapully sometime in the last week of July and very soon, became friends with the students, all in the age group of five to 10 years studying up to Class 5.

Residents give Lakshmi a proper burial. ( HT photo )

She continued to stay with the students right from morning prayers, to attending classes though the day. She would browse through text books without troubling anyone.

Though the school staff tried to drive the animal away fearing it would disturb the students, but later changed their mind, as it was as studious as any other student. The school, which had a poor attendance in the past, started recording 100 per cent attendance after the arrival of Lakshmi.

The langur used to attend the morning prayers, enter the class of its choice, sits along with the other students and browses through their textbooks without troubling anyone. ( HT Photo )

“We used to treat Lakshmi as a part of our student community. Last week, a gentleman from the neighbouring village took her away saying he would take care of her. But within four days, she returned to our school. Such was the affinity the langur had developed with all of us. We never expected that she would die such a tragic death within a couple of days of returning to us,” Lateef said.

As a mark of respect for the simian, the school declared a holiday in the afternoon. “We mourned the death of Lakshmi, took her body to the village outskirts and buried it as per rituals,” the headmaster said.