In a shocking incident that has exposed severe lapses in institutional responsibility, the death of a 14-year-old student at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar has been confirmed as murder. Police revealed on Wednesday that the Class IX boy from Keonjhar district was strangled by three of his classmates during a scuffle on the night of December 11.
The Fatal Fight Over a Bucket
According to the police investigation, the violent altercation began over a seemingly trivial issue: a bucket in the hostel toilet block. The three minor accused, who branded themselves as the 'joker's gang' and even wrote this name on a hostel wall, confessed to beating and strangling the victim after he refused to hand over the bucket. Several other hostel inmates reportedly witnessed the crime, adding a chilling dimension to the case.
Institutional Cover-Up and Arrests
The case took a more sinister turn with allegations of a systematic cover-up by the institute's authorities. Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh stated that instead of informing the police immediately, KISS officials contacted the boy's parents, claiming he was unwell. The student was taken to KIMS Hospital, where, police allege, doctors did not alert the authorities, conducted no autopsy, and issued a slip to the father stating the boy died of a heart attack.
Police have booked eight KISS officials, including teachers and staff, on charges of murder and destruction of evidence. The accused officials were identified as additional CEO Pramod Patra, and staff members Binay Kumar Gochhi, Prasanna Kumar Malla, Pradeep Das, Rashmiranjan Nayak, Hemanta Kumar Mohapatra, Subhakanta Behera, and Sujata Mishra. They have been remanded to judicial custody. Police allege these officials intimidated the minor witnesses to conceal the crime.
Legal Proceedings and Investigation
The three minor assailants were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and have been categorised as 'children in conflict with law'. They have been sent to an observation home. The case came to light after the boy's father lodged a police complaint in Keonjhar on December 13, leading to a zero FIR. The case was later transferred to the Infocity police station in Bhubaneswar.
An autopsy was conducted in Keonjhar on the same day, and the report, received by police on Tuesday evening, clearly indicated murder, ruling out any natural cause. Police Commissioner Singh also confirmed that the suspected negligence of KIMS Hospital will be thoroughly investigated. When contacted by the media, both KISS and KIMS authorities refused to comment on the allegations.
This tragic incident raises grave questions about safety, supervision, and institutional accountability in residential educational setups, turning a case of juvenile conflict into a major criminal and administrative scandal.
