Kerala Education Minister calls for urgent safety audit at schools after student’s death by electrocution

Kerala’s General Education Minister V. Sivankutty stressed the need for an urgent and multi-departmental re-audit of electrical, fire and structural safety at schools in the wake of the death of a Class VIII student, Midhun, by accidental electrocution from a “sagging” overhead power line at the Boys’ High School at in Kollam district on Thursday (July 17, 2025).

Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Sivankutty said the government routinely issued a checklist for school managements to tick off before reopening. He said this included procuring fitness certificates from the Fire, Electricity, Motor Vehicles, Health, Local Self-Government and Public Works departments.

 “It is incumbent on school managements to ensure that they follow the government’s direction. There are 14,000 schools in the State. General Education department officials presumably can’t go and inspect every institution individually. School managements should ensure compliance with rules,” he said. 

Moreover, Mr. Sivankutty stated that the rules mandated that no overhead line could pass over a school building or be located proximate to the institution. “It is the bounden duty of school management to adhere to the government checklist strictly. However, the Thevalakkara government-aided school management appeared to have given student safety a back seat. The government viewed the matter with utmost gravity. It has requested reports from various agencies,” Mr. Sivankutty said. 

He also implied that the school management had failed to mind the children. “How did it escape the teachers, principal and head master that children climbed onto the awning to retrieve articles without them noticing the risky behaviour?” Mr. Sivankutty asked. 

Mr. Sivankutty said he has apprised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of the tragic accident. “The Chief Minister has asked me to go to the spot. The government stands with Midhun’s bereaved family. The administration’s focus is on preventing such accidents in the future by identifying hazards”, Mr. Sivankutty added. 

Public outcry 

Meanwhile, the incident has caused a public outcry and raised questions about student safety. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers protested in front of the school, blaming the government and the aided management for the student’s death. 

N.K. Premachandran, Kollam MP, demanded a thorough investigation into the incident. He said the KSEB failed to realign the power line, which dangled perilously over the school building. He said the public utility could have prevented the mishap had it drawn an insulated power line, instead of the regular one. 

Kovoor Kunjumon, a Left Democratic Front (LDF) legislator from the Kunnathoor constituency in Kollam district and leader of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP-Leninist), blamed the KSEB and the school management for the incident.

He demanded that the KSEB state which electrical safety criterion it had applied to grant a fitness certificate to the school management before the commencement of classes for the current academic year.

Child rights commission takes case

Meanwhile, Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken a suo motu case concerning the student’s death.