Keonjhar, Jul 19: Odisha Police arrested four staff members of a private English medium school in Keonjhar’s Champua on Thursday, in relation to the tragic death of a 16-year-old student who fell from the rooftop of the school’s hostel building on July 12. The arrested individuals include a teacher, hostel warden, administrative officer, and hostel supervisor. They have been charged under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for abetment to suicide.
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The deceased, a Class X student at Kerala English Medium School, was a resident boarder at the school’s hostel. According to reports, the student jumped from the fourth floor of the hostel building shortly after the morning assembly last week. He was rushed to a local hospital in Champua, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Following the incident, the boy’s father, Sudhansu Sekhar Pradhan, who hails from Chaibasa in Jharkhand, filed a formal complaint with the Champua police. In his complaint, Pradhan accused the school authorities of subjecting his son to both physical and mental abuse, which he believes led to the student's suicide.
Acting on the complaint, the police arrested the hostel supervisor Daitari Sahu, teacher Shashi Shekhar Jha, administrative officer Prakashan T, and hostel warden Surendra Nath Mishra. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, which has shaken the local community.
The case has raised serious concerns about student safety and mental health, especially in boarding schools, and has sparked debates about the responsibility of school staff in creating a supportive environment for students. As investigations progress, the public awaits further developments.
