A seven-year-old girl student of Class II, Mou Mistry, died on the way to Uluberia State General Hospital, in Howrah, on Thursday evening, allegedly due to the negligence of her schoolteachers. However, the victim’s family has lodged no formal complaint with the police.

“If they had informed us about our daughter’s condition on time, she would not have died,” lamented Mou’s father Beeley Mistry. A resident of Madhyampara, in Uluberia, Mistry said both his daughters went to school on Thursday, as usual.

Mou fell sick there and wanted to return home. She was, however, not allowed to leave the school for a while, as lessons were on.

“She approached our teacher Jabarani Mondal for permission to return home because she was feeling very ill, and she wanted me to escort her,” said a tearful Phoolmani, Mou’s elder sister, a student of Class IV in the same school. Phoolmani added that the teacher scolded her, saying that she was not to leave the school, and that Mou should return home alone.

Her parents said Mou was suffering from diarrhoea for the past few days but had recovered and was permitted to go to school by her doctor. However, according to Phoolmani, after she reached school, the attack of diarrhoea recurred.

Asked why Mou was allowed to go to school when she was ill, her father said: “She was absolutely fit for the past two days. So, we sent her to school.”

The Mistry family said any child could fall ill in school. If so happens, it is the duty of the school authorities at least to inform the parents.

The school authorities denied comment but said an inquiry would be initiated.

Mistry said that neighbours informed him about his daughter’s illness and that she was lying senseless in a temple near the school. “They called up a doctor, who advised them to take Mou to hospital immediately, as her condition was deteriorating,” Mistry said. Mou died on the way to hospital.

Howrah Zilla Parishad member and local CPM leader Majed Mollah said he will initiate an inquiry into the matter and has informed party leaders about the incident.

“How could a schoolteacher be so irresponsible that a child had to die?” Mollah asked.