A Class V student was found dead on the bank of river Sati in Jeypore on 24th March 2013. While the parents allege the death to be a planned murder blaming the Principal of the school, the latter has denied all allegations. The victim was identified as Ashish Benia of Emmanuel English Medium Boarding School of Jeypore. His father Napthial Benia has cried foul even though the police have registered a case of unnatural death. He told the TNI, “they have killed my son and then thrown into the river”.
On that fateful day, Ashish went missing from the school in the afternoon and later he was found dead. Talking to TNI, Principal of the school Arun Panda said, “the boy had gone after jumping over the 6 feet boundary wall”. When asked whether anybody had seen him jumping, he replied in the negative.
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Birendra Karkara, Sub-collector, Jeypore reportedly instructed Ajay Kumar Mallick, Tahasildar of Jeypore to collect information about the death case. The police are waiting for the post mortem report for further investigation.
Although the school authorities claim innocence, they cannot absolve themselves of the responsibility, as their student “went missing” from the school during normal study hours and later died under mysterious circumstances. The truth will come out if the investigation is carried out in an appropriate manner without any external pressure.
A few months ago, an inmate of another missionary hostel of Palkaput village under Jeypore block died due to illness. A series of allegations are being brought against the missionary schools of the district, but no probe has initiated so far, as they enjoy the patronage of powerful and influential people.