India, Oct. 10 -- A 12-year-old student died in a government ashram school in Thane district on Friday morning, keeping the spotlight firmly on the sorry state of tribal schools across Maharashtra.

After the Gadchiroli deaths in August and angry protests on Friday, police swiftly registered a first information report (FIR) against the school's principal Jaywant Saple, school superintendent Rahul Javanjal, and a primary teacher Ashok Salave. The state tribal development department also suspended Saple, Javanjal and Salave, and set up an inquiry committee to investigate the death.

The Class 5 student, Vivek Subhash Bhoye, died at the Pise Ashram School in Bhiwandi taluka after developing a fever four days ago. The school authorities alleg...