Odisha: Tribal student found dead in Bhubaneswar, family stages protest

Bhubaneswar/ Keonjhar (Odisha), Dec 13 (PTI) A 14-year-old tribal student of Bhubaneswar-based Kalinga Institute of Social Science (KISS) was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

His family and relatives, who alleged that the class 9 student was "murdered", staged a protest with the body in front of the collector's office in his hometown, Keonjhar, on Saturday, demanding a proper investigation into the incident.

The deceased was a resident of Tikargumura village in Keonjhar Town police station area.

His father lodged a complaint with Keonjhar Town police station, suspecting foul play.

"KISS authorities called me up on Friday and informed me that my son was unwell. They asked me to come to Bhubaneswar immediately. When I reached the hospital, where he was admitted, a doctor informed me that my son was dead.

"They sent the body to the village in an ambulance. I found some scar marks on my son's body. I have not been given any medical report. I do not know how my son died, due to which disease," the deceased's father stated in his police complaint.

Keonjhar Town police station inspector-in-charge Srikant Sahu said that a Zero FIR has been lodged and forwarded to Bhubaneswar's Infocity police station, under the jurisdiction of which the incident took place.

Sahu said police will conduct a preliminary investigation and will send the body for post-mortem examination.

The agitators withdrew the demonstration after the FIR was registered, he said.

Meanwhile, the deceased's aunt, who took part in the agitation, alleged that her nephew was killed and there was a bid to cover it up.

"We demand justice. You cannot mislead us because we are tribals. We demand Rs 1 crore as compensation," she said.

Keonjhar's Additional Tehsildar Durgesh Kalyan Pradhan said, "Local police have made elaborate security arrangements to maintain law and order here." The incident sparked massive outrage, with people seeking to know how the boy died despite having no history of illness, and why his father was not informed about the reason or given any medical report.

KISS is a sister concern of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), which has reported at least three alleged suicides, including two by Nepalese women students.

KISS authorities were yet to respond to queries about the boy's mysterious death. KISS is a non-profit, private institution that provides free education and hostel facilities to tribal children. PTI COR AAM AAM ACD