Odisha: A tribal boy's quest for better mobile network connectivity to attend online classes proved fatal after he slid on a hillock and suffered severe injuries in Pandraguda village of Rayagada district. With schools closed since the outbreak of the corona pandemic, 13-year-old Adira Gagaranga, a class 7 student at a missionary school in Cuttack, returned home to Pandraguda village. He used to climb a small hill nearby to attend online classes as the network connectivity in his village was very poor.

The rocks on the hillock were sodden and slippery due to incessant rain over the last couple of days. Tragedy struck when Adira, who was attending class at around 5 pm, fell down after losing his balance on a slippery stone, sustaining injuries to his leg and head. After being informed, a firefighting team reached the spot and rushed the critically-wounded Adira to nearby Padmapur Community Health Centre. When his health condition kept deteriorating, even after initial treatment, doctors referred him to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. Adir succumbed to his injuries before reaching MKCG Medical.

Adira's family was heartbroken at the news of his death. Coming from a marginalized family, Adira's father Narhari earns a bare amount of Rs 2,000 per month and was unable to afford a smartphone for his son. Adira's elder brother recently bought a second-hand smartphone so the 13-year-old could attend online classes.

Adira's father Narhari Gagaranda said, "On Tuesday afternoon, while Adira was attending his class on the hillock, the stone being slippery due to rain earlier, he suddenly slipped and fell on the ground and the stone crushed his right leg. Adira was unconscious but breathing when we found him, we immediately got a vehicle and rushed him to a nearby hospital. He died while undergoing treatment."

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