BARIPADA: Mystery shrouds the death of a Class II student who was found hanging inside the premises of a government-run residential school in Mayurbhanj’s Udala on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as seven-year-old Dulari Madhei of Bhadagadhua village within Udala police limits. Dulari was a student of Bishmayakara Ashram School.
Sources said students of the residential school were watching TV in the hostel together in the afternoon. When Dulari could not be found, the hostel staff searched for the girl and found her hanging from a bamboo pillar with an apron in the room adjacent to the dormitory.
Headmaster of the school Brundaban Prusty said on being informed about the incident by the matron, he reached the hostel immediately. The girl was rushed to Udala sub-divisional hospital where the doctors declared her dead. Later, Udala police reached the hospital and seized the body for postmortem.
Following the incident, local residents raised serious questions about the safety of students and supervision by authorities in the government-run school. Suspecting foul play in Dulari’s death, they said it is unlikely for a seven-year-old to have suicidal thoughts and take such a step voluntarily. “It seems to be a clear case of murder. The administration should conduct an impartial probe and take strict action against those involved in the girl’s death,” they said.
Dulari’s father Susanta Madhei and family members refused to allow postmortem of the girl’s body demanding to know the exact sequence of events which led to the girl’s death.
IIC of Udala police station Banamali Barik said on basis of the complaint lodged by the deceased student’s father, a murder case has been registered. The complainant has blamed the school headmaster and hostel matron for his daughter’s death. The postmortem will be conducted on Sunday and further investigation is underway, he added.
District welfare officer of Mayurbhanj Guru Charan Mallick said a team of officials including members of the child welfare committee will visit the school soon to investigate the incident.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)