Maharashtra snake bite deaths: Fadnavis orders cancellation of licence of tribal residential school

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) ordered that the licence of the residential tribal school, where three girls died due to snake bite, be cancelled permanently. The administration said that it was in the process of issuing a notice regarding the matter. The CM also said that the official who had inspected the school earlier and had submitted a report, should be placed under suspension.

Maharashtra Tribal Affairs Minister Ashok Uike is learnt to have said in the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) that the government should take strict action against the private organisation which receives government aid to run the residential school for tribal girls.

“The tribal residential schools need to be inspected properly. Instead of looking at only such schools which are on the main roads, the schools in the interior areas too need to be inspected properly. This school had no teacher, no warden. No facilities were provided though this school received government aid,” the CM is learnt to have said during the meeting.

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old girl continued to be critical and remained under treatment. Another girl, 11, is stable, district health officials told The Hindu. Officials said that the snake bit five girls, and not six, as reported earlier in the media. Several girls felt scared and said they had symptoms like stomach ache and vomiting. “They were all admitted and later discharged after found to be stable,” Dr. Pratap Shinde, District Health Officer, Gadchiroli, told The Hindu.

The incident took place in the intervening night between August 9 and August 10. approximately between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.. At the residential tribal school for girls in Japtalai in Dhanora taluka, some girls were sleeping on the floor in a large hall. The total number of girls in the tribal school is 233.

Political reactions

The Opposition slammed the government and asked that the culprits be booked for culpable homicide. “This is a murder by the system,” NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut asked how the girls could die of a snake bite in Maharashtra. The BJP said that the school was being run by the organisation owned by Congress leader Marotrao Kowase, who was an MLA for three terms and an MP for one term.