The Meghalaya High Court has directed Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Mawphlang, to pay ₹6.5 lakh in compensation to the parents of 17-year-old Nathaniel Sohtun, a Class 11 student who died of electrocution in the school hostel in 2023.
Justice Hamar Sing Thangkhiew passed the order on Monday while hearing a writ petition filed by the deceased student’s mother, Phidapherlin Sohtun. The court mandated that the compensation be paid within eight weeks. This amount is in addition to the ₹1 lakh ex gratia already provided by the school.
The tragic incident occurred when Nathaniel, along with friends, went to the hostel terrace to bathe after a sports session. He suffered a fatal electric shock due to exposed wiring, highlighting gross lapses in safety protocols.
The court held that the electrocution was a result of “negligence and deficiency” on the part of school authorities. “Notwithstanding the fact that the place of the incident was restricted and supposed to be under lock and key, the very fact that the same was left unlocked is a failure in the discharge of assigned duties on the part of the teacher concerned,” the court observed.
Multiple inspection reports submitted to the court revealed alarming deficiencies in the school’s electrical infrastructure and safety mechanisms. “There exist serious systemic deficiencies in the school’s infrastructure and supervision, which have been identified,” the bench noted.
Although no criminal negligence was established against school principal Neelam Sharma, the court recorded that a criminal case is pending, and a charge sheet has been filed against three other individuals associated with the school.
The High Court further issued a series of directions to improve safety measures on campus. These include:
- Immediate implementation of safety protocols
- Periodic audits of all electrical installations
- Employment of certified electricians
- Strict supervision of restricted areas, such as terraces
- Installation of visible warning and danger signage in hazardous zones
