This story is from March 17, 2016

Hunger pangs lead student to death

A tribal boy studying in Class III of the government school in Kurag village under Ghaghra police station died while trying to pluck jackfruits from a tree on Tuesday.
Hunger pangs lead student to death
Gumla: A tribal boy studying in Class III of the government school in Kurag village under Ghaghra police station died while trying to pluck jackfruits from a tree on Tuesday.
Kartik and his elder sister and brother ate boiled jackfruit for the last one week since midday meal (MDM) was not served in the village school that week.
Kartik's elder sister Rajmuni, 15, and brother Rajbir, 12, said their father Charwa Oraon, a migrant labourer, had gone out to work in brick kiln ten months ago, leaving some rice for them in the house.
Since the grain got over after a few months, they were surviving on the school MDM only for the last three months.
"Sometimes neighbours gave us food but how can we ask them daily. We used to pluck jackfruit from the village trees and boil them for meals," Rajmuni said.
A school teacher who was shocked to hear about Kartik's death said, "We did not know about the state of these children, else we would have helped them personally," after visiting Kartik's house .
"Non-availability of rice has led to the closure of MDM in several schools of the district. The problem has arisen on account of fresh enrolments in the schools. An officer has been asked to arrange for rice for Kurag middle school immediately," Gumla district superintendent of education (DSE) S N Tigga said.
Villagers said Kartik's siblings brought his body home where it was kept for more than 24 hours until their father arrived. His last rites were performed on Wednesday afternoon.
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