Teen Electrocuted At School In Kerala’s Kollam; 'Education Bandh' Declared

A 13-year-old boy, Mithun Manu, died after being electrocuted by a sagging high-voltage cable at Boys High School in Thevalakkara, Kollam.

Protests erupted due to alleged administrative negligence, as the school had previously reported the dangerous wire to KSEB.

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The electrocution of a 13-year-old boy on the premises of Boys High School in Thevalakkara has triggered widespread protests and public outrage across Kollam district. The Class 8 student, Mithun Manu, died Thursday morning after accidentally coming into contact with a sagging high-voltage cable while retrieving his slipper from the roof of a nearby cycle shed.

Teen Dies Of Electrocution

The incident occurred around 8:30 AM, just before school hours. Mithun, son of daily wage labourer Valayapadam Manu and Kuwait-based home nurse Suja, collapsed on the spot upon touching the exposed wire. Despite being rushed to the local taluk hospital, he was declared dead on arrival.

Following the tragedy, residents, political party workers, and student organizations staged protests outside the school, blaming administrative apathy and negligence. Multiple student bodies have since called for protest marches and declared an education bandh in the region.

The school management, under the control of a local CPM committee, had reportedly filed prior complaints urging the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to address the dangerously hanging power line. Residents allege that repeated warnings went unheeded. The cable was reportedly running above an illegal shed extension, further intensifying concerns of administrative lapses.

The Kerala Police and KSEB have initiated a joint investigation into the circumstances surrounding the boy’s death.

Political Parties Stage Protest

Reacting to the incident, Congress MP KC Venugopal condemned the authorities’ failure to act: "It is a very unfortunate incident. It is a very irresponsible attitude by the school authorities. The government needs to answer all these things. Such incidents happening in schools are shocking... The government should take concrete action and they have to show the people of the state that they are very sensitive about these types of issues." 

Meanwhile, ABVP members staged a protest march to the Secretariat, demanding accountability and swift government intervention.