Republic Day Tragedy: School Committee Head Dies of Snakebite in Ratnagiri

• Jayashree Jitendra Barje (32), chairperson of the School Management Committee in Jambhulnagar, Mandangad taluka, Ratnagiri, died from a venomous snakebite on Republic Day, January 26, 2026.
• Earlier on Republic Day morning, Jayashree Barje had proudly hoisted the flag and participated in the celebrations.
• She was bitten by a snake around 4 PM while working as an agricultural laborer in a field near her home.
• Despite being rushed to Dapoli Sub-District Hospital, doctors declared her dead before treatment could be administered.
• This is the second tragedy for the Barje family in a month, following the recent death of Jayashree's father-in-law; she leaves behind her husband and two young children.

Why It Matters: A school committee head in Ratnagiri tragically died from a snakebite on Republic Day after hoisting the flag.