Tribal hostel inmate found dead in Gondia

A 13-year-old boy, inmate of a tribal hostel near here in North-East Maharashtra, was found dead, hostel officials and hospital sources said.

Gondia (Maha): A 13-year-old boy, inmate of a tribal hostel near here in North-East Maharashtra, was found dead today, hostel officials and hospital sources said.

Dileshwar Madan Sonkusre, of Deoritola village, was studying in Std VI and resided at the Government-aided hostel, Bappa Adiwasi Mulanche Vastigruha, in Deori tehsil. He was declared brought dead by doctors at Deori`s Rural Hospital. The villagers and parents of the boy blamed the hostel administration and its Superintendent Manohar Hiwarkar for the death and demanded stringent action against them. According to some inmates, Dileshwar had been suffering from acute stomach pain for the past couple of days. He had told the Hostel Superintendent about his condition but the latter allegedly paid no heed. After having lunch today, Dileshwar went to his room, where he was later found unconscious. The boy was rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead, hospital sources said. As the news spread, locals gathered outside the hospital and raised slogans against the hostel management, demanding action against Hiwarkar and other officials beside suitable compensation for the kin of the deceased. Hospital sources said the boy may have died of diarrhoea though the exact reason will be known only after receiving the post-mortem report. Hiwarkar refuted any negligence on part of the hostel management. He said after Dileshwar`s complaint, they were suppose to take him to hospital but unfortunately he died prior to that. No police complaint has been registered yet but police were maintaining a tight vigil around the 53-year-old hostel, which currently has 82 students. PTI