BARIPADA: A Class-V girl student of Kakabandh Ashram school died while undergoing treatment for suspected food poisoning at Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital (PRM MCH) here on Tuesday, sparking tension in the region.
The deceased student was identified as Rupali Besra (12) of Lunachati village under Rasgovindpur block. She was among the 146 students who were taken ill after reportedly consuming contaminated food in the residential school’s hostel on April 12.
As the news of the girl’s death spread, irate locals including parents of the affected students entered the Ashram school premises in Rasgovindpur and allegedly assaulted the teachers, accusing them of negligence.
The mob also attempted to set afire the Mahaprayan vehicle carrying the body of the girl. As police resorted to lathi charge to control the situation, the irate locals started pelting stones at the cops. Rasgovindpur IIC Padmalochan Panigrahi and some police personnel were injured in the stone pelting.
Later, the agitating locals blocked the Jaleswar-Baripada road at Kakabandh chowk with Besra’s body, demanding adequate compensation for the families of the deceased girl and other affected students.
Similarly, the district unit of BJD led by its president Sudam Marandi staged demonstration in front of PRM MCH, demanding rS 25 lakh compensation to the bereaved family and government jobs to Besra’s parents.
As the protests intensified, the district administration announced a compensation of rS 7 lakh to the deceased student’s family and jobs to her parents.