Three tribal schoolgirls died and two were left in critical condition after six students at an aided residential tribal school in Japatlai, Dhanora taluka, Gadchiroli district, were bitten by venomous snakes — a tragedy that unfolded on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The incident has drawn sharp political condemnation, with the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) using its party mouthpiece 'Saamana' to accuse the Maharashtra state government of systemic neglect of tribal communities.

What Happened at the Japatlai Ashram School

The snakebite tragedy struck the government-aided residential school — commonly known as an Ashram School — in Gadchiroli's Dhanora taluka. According to reports, six girls were bitten by venomous snakes; three died at the scene, while two were hospitalised in critical condition. The incident coincided with the global observance marking the rights and welfare of indigenous peoples, lending it particular symbolic weight.

Saamana Editorial: A Pattern of Neglect

An editorial published in Saamana on Wednesday, 12 August framed the deaths not as an isolated accident but as the predictable outcome of entrenched state neglect. The editorial argued that rampant mining operations in the region have disrupted native wildlife habitats, pushing animals including leopards and snakes into residential hamlets and school premises. It further alleged that Ashram Schools in the district suffer from severe structural cracks, poor sanitation, a shortage of medical provisions, and a lack of basic furniture — conditions that reportedly force children to sleep on bare floors.

Mining, Displacement, and Contamination Allegations

The Shiv Sena (UBT) editorial levelled serious allegations against the state administration, accusing it of systematically displacing indigenous communities — described as the rightful custodians of the region's land, water, and forests — to make way for corporate entities and outside mining entrepreneurs. The editorial claimed that more than 1,500 residents have reportedly been killed by speeding mining trucks, with accident sites allegedly cleaned up rapidly by authorities. Industrial residue, it claimed, settles on cooked food inside tribal homes, leaving families exposed to polluted water and contaminated meals. Residents who protest these conditions are reportedly labelled as Naxalites or traitors and imprisoned, according to the editorial.

Medical Infrastructure Crisis in Gadchiroli

The editorial highlighted a severe absence of functional emergency transport across the district. Critically ill patients and pregnant women are reportedly carried over long distances on makeshift cloth stretchers due to the lack of government ambulances. In the most harrowing cases, grieving parents have been left with no option but to carry the bodies of deceased children on their shoulders, the editorial stated.

Political Reaction and the Anti-Naxal Narrative

The Thackeray camp sharply condemned the state government, suggesting — in a pointed rhetorical flourish — that tribal residents bring snakes and scorpions from their hamlets to the official residences of government ministers in Mumbai, so that officials may understand the constant danger faced by the community. The editorial also challenged the official narrative around anti-Naxal operations in Gadchiroli, arguing that the dismantling of Naxalism in the region was pursued not to improve living standards for indigenous people, but to secure the safety and profitability of commercial industrial ventures. This comes amid ongoing state and central government claims that Naxalite activity in Gadchiroli has significantly declined in recent years.

The deaths have reignited a long-running debate over whether development in India's mineral-rich tribal belts translates into genuine welfare for indigenous communities or primarily serves industrial and political interests. Whether the Maharashtra government responds with concrete infrastructure upgrades at Ashram Schools across Gadchiroli will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.