The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Boy hit by van while doing fourth lap

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 23, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Boy hit by van while doing fourth lap

By P. Sudhakar

He was reportedly snoozing after lunch

IN AGONY: P. Vetrivel undergoing treatment. — Photo: A. Shaikmohideen

TIRUNELVELI: A fourth standard student, who was carrying out a "punishment" meted out to him for reportedly snoozing in the classroom, met with an accident recently.

P. Vetrivel of the Panchayat Union Primary School, Reddiyarpatti, near here, was reportedly snoozing after lunch last month and his teacher asked him to do five laps around the school.

When he was on the fourth lap, the boy was knocked down by a speeding van, causing serious injuries, including a fracture below the left knee and injuries in the right leg.

"Since we were working on a field 10 km beyond Reddiyarpatti at the time of accident, the teachers of the school and the van driver took our son to a private hospital near the new bus stand at Vaeinthankulam, where a surgery was performed on the left leg. I had to spend Rs. 21,500 for this medical assistance; the teachers and the driver gave me Rs. 6,000 each. After disposing of the jewels of my wife, I paid the medical bill and got my son discharged and admitted him to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for further treatment," said the victim's father, S. Pandaram, a farmhand. The boy is recovering there.

Initially, the van driver was reportedly prepared to pay the entire medical bill, but he refused to do so. The teachers too declined to extend any further help.

"The teachers should have filed a complaint with the police immediately, but they, in a bid to cover up the episode, admitted him to a private hospital. The Department of Education should initiate stringent action against the teacher, who gave this punishment to the boy and the others who conspired to conceal the incident," says the Director of Manitha Urimai Kalam, M. Bharathan.

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