JEYPORE: The Koraput district administration has launched a probe into the drowning death of three Class X students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) at Landiguda, in Kolab dam reservoir.
A four-member team comprising Koraput tehsildar Syed Sabar Saha, SDPO SK Mandal, district education officer Karunakar Bhuye and district welfare officer Sunil Kumar Tandi visited the school on Sunday to investigate the incident. The officials interacted with students and teachers and also visited the reservoir where the drowning deaths took place.
“The team visited JNV, Landiguda and inquired into all aspects of the incident by interacting with students and teachers and inspecting the drowning spot. The probe report will be submitted to Koraput collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan soon,” said SDPO Mandal. Official sources said the team is expected to submit its report by Monday.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that after appearing for their CBSE Class X examination on Saturday, the three victims along with around 10 other students allegedly sneaked out of the school campus through the back gate by scaling the boundary wall and went to the reservoir. While bathing in the reservoir, the three students reportedly slipped into deep water and drowned, possibly due to strong currents.
The deceased students are Lingaraj Khilo of Koraput, Swastik Sundar Halwa of Laxmipur and Om Prakash Halwa of Lamtaput. All of them were staying in the school hostel.
Following the tragedy, tension flared up at the district headquarters hospital as grieving family members alleged negligence on the part of the school authorities.