Kozhikode: Opposition youth and student organisations staged protests before the ITDP office in Mananthavady, Wayanad, on Wednesday over the plight of 127 tribal girl students of Govt Ashram School at Thirunelli.

The students were forced to stay in just three classrooms after the girls’ hostel was declared unfit by PWD department in July. They were also relying on a single bathroom to meet their basic needs.

Youth Congress and Yuva Morcha activists led the protests, while KSU workers wrote to National Human Rights Commission highlighting the issue.

State scheduled tribe development department planned to shift the school to the new Model Residential School in Aralam, Kannur. However, the move was not implemented due to delays in obtaining a power connection.

Congress alleged that relocating the school outside the district despite available facilities locally is highly questionable and that there is little chance of the institution returning to Wayanad, which has the highest tribal population in state.

KPCC general secretary K L Poulose said it is a disgrace that the incident happened in the constituency of tribal development minister O R Kelu and demanded intervention by state human rights commission and child rights commission on the matter.