ROURKELA: Unable to cope with the sudden death of his father last month, a 13-year-old schoolboy ended his life at the government-run ANWESHA hostel at Chhend Colony here on Monday.District welfare officer (DWO) of Sundargarh Pabitra Mohan Pradhan on Tuesday said the boy of Sol in Gurundia block was a Class VII student in a private English medium school under the ANWESHA scheme.
Pradhan said the boy was depressed after his father died on December 7 due to some illness. To help him overcome the grief, his mother sent the boy to his maternal uncle’s place and he returned to the hostel on January 2.
The DWO said the boy was staying reclusive. The minor even told his hostel mates that he did not wish to live. He had reportedly tried to cut his vein on January 4 but was prevented by three of his friends. His friends kept the incident a secret without disclosing it to hostel authorities.
Pradhan said at around 7 am on Monday, other students left for school but the boy returned to his room. At around 9 am, the hostel matrons found him alone and took him to another room where a student suffering from fever was present. However, a matron found the boy’s room locked from inside at around 10.40 am and saw him hanging through the window.
The DWO said authorities of all hostels across the district have been instructed to identify inmates who are depressed and extend necessary counselling to them.The administration has decided to rehabilitate the boy’s younger brother with admission in Eklavya Model Residential School and engage his mother as a cook.