The tragic death of a 14-year-old student at the KISS school in Bhubaneswar would have been brushed aside as an accident if not for the vigilance of villagers from his native Keonjhar district. The city police commissioner, S Dev Datta Singh, confirmed on Wednesday that the boy was strangled by three of his hostelmates, a group known among classmates as the "joker's gang," following a minor scuffle.
Alleged Cover-Up by School and Hospital
According to the grieving father, the school authorities initially claimed his son died on December 11 after slipping in the bathroom. He alleged a deliberate attempt to suppress the incident, as the school did not inform the police. The boy was taken to KIMS Hospital, which is part of the same institutional group. There, doctors reportedly did not conduct a post-mortem examination nor alert the police, despite visible ligature marks on the neck. Shockingly, the family was told the cause was a heart attack.
In a serious violation of protocol, the hospital handed over the body on December 12 without registering it as a medico-legal case (MLC). An MLC is mandatory for all unnatural or suspicious deaths, triggering a mandatory police investigation to establish the cause and circumstances.
Villagers' Protest Forces Action
The truth began to surface as the family prepared for the cremation in Keonjhar, located about 220 km from Bhubaneswar. Alert villagers noticed red and dark patches on the boy's neck and raised an alarm. Their suspicion led to a dharna (protest) on December 13, demanding a thorough investigation.
"Our protest forced officials to act," a neighbour stated. The demonstration resulted in a post-mortem examination being ordered at Dharanidhar Medical College and Hospital in Keonjhar on the same day. Following the procedure, the boy's father filed a formal complaint at the Town police station, accusing the KISS authorities of negligence leading to his son's death.
Police Investigation and Ongoing Fallout
The police swiftly registered a zero FIR in Keonjhar, which was transferred the same day to the Infocity police station in Bhubaneswar for further investigation. Police Commissioner Singh revealed that the post-mortem report, received on Tuesday evening, conclusively confirmed the boy was murdered by strangulation.
The incident has sparked outrage, with villagers demanding strict action against the hospital authorities. "It was the hospital's duty to conduct a post-mortem and inform the police. Instead, they looked the other way and acted hand-in-glove with the school authorities," another villager alleged. Attempts to get a response from the hospital and school authorities have so far been unsuccessful.
