The bereaved family members of the student have alleged that their son died due to the negligence of the school authorities.
Demanding action against the school administration, top priority to students’ safety and probe into Aditya Raj’s death, parents had staged a demonstration at the school on July 25.
Sources said the police had allegedly registered false cases against nine persons in this connection.
Protesting this, the Committee is observing a 12 hour shutdown in the town today.
The dawn to dusk bandh has paralysed the normal life. While markets, business establishments, shops downed their shutters, all the government and private offices and educational institutions have also remained closed.
Similarly, the members of the committee were seen picketing at important places and squares, bringing the traffic movement to a standstill.
Hundreds of vehicles have been stranded on both sides of major road passing through the town.
Notably, almost major political parties, Bargarh Journalists’ Association, Bargarh District Bar Association, Bargarh District Parents’ Association and several organisations have supported the bandh call given by the Bargarh Sachetana Nagarika Committee.
Upon being informed, Baragada police reached the spot and started an investigation into the incident. The body was recovered and sent for post-mortem.
"The cause of the death would be clear after investigation," said Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Prateek Singh.
Jhumki Rath, superintendent of Karubaki hostel of BJB college said, “Upon being informed about it, we rushed to her room and knocked the door in a bid to save her life. At that time we were not sure that she had already died. Instead coming to a conclusion, we called her to open the door. When she did not respond, we broke open the door with the help of a crowbar in the presence of students and other hotel staff before the arrival of police.”
BJB College principal Niranjan Mishra said, “When I learnt about the incident, I rang the IIC and asked him to reach the hostel. Upon being reached we found her dead. Her roommates said that when they left for class at 10am, she was happy. She asked them to bring note for her. They never knew that she could take such step.”
The victim Bandana Sarkar was found lying in a pool of blood inside computer room of Sikhapali Residential School in the district on August 2.
The family members suspect foul play as there was a cut injury mark on Bandana's hand.
"There is something fishy as there is no coherence in the statements of the hostel authorities. We urge the government for a detailed probe into the incident so that the truth comes out," said Anup Sarkar, brother of the deceased girl.
Earlier, the hostel warden first spotted Bandana in critical condition at the computer room while searching for her between 10:00 PM to 10:30 PM on Thursday night.
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Subsequently, the girl student was then rushed to the Malkangiri hospital where doctors declared her brought dead.
According to hospital sources, the girl died of excessive bleeding.
Malkangiri SDPO Sraban Bibek on the other hand said, "Our investigation is on and only after a detailed probe it can be ascertained whether it's a case of suicide or murder."
The deceased has been identified as Sourav Sahu.
According to sources, Sourav was chided by teachers in school for indiscipline. Later, the school headmaster called his parents for a discussion. He was scolded and also punished by his grandfather and the headmaster. Ashamed of being punished in front of his friends, Sourav allegedly committed suicide after returning to his house during lunch break.
"Sourav's parents chided him when he went to his house during lunch break. He did not come back to school after that. Later, we came to know about his suicide," Sourav's friend Ramesh Chandra Dakua said.
Meanwhile, police said the truth will come out once the investigation is over. "I have ordered an investigation. We will interrogate the student's classmates as well as teachers," Community Education Officer Sudhansu Patra said.
As per the eye witness, a Tata Safari vehicle came out and hit Suchismita and her friend from behind after they got down from an auto rickshaw. Following the accident Suchismita died. After the accident the eye witness had followed the vehicle.
“The person who was arrested yesterday and is said to be the driver is not the person who was driving the car when the accident happened. There were two persons inside the car and both of them were quite fat compared to the person arrested. I followed them till Siripur Chhak and saw them,” said the eyewitness.
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On the other hand, Suchismita’s father told that her daughter’s death has happened in mysterious circumstances and demanded justice.
“As per the account given by the eye witness, it seems like there were two other persons in the car and not the one arrested. After hearing it from the eye witness, the whole incident has become mysterious and seems like someone is trying to suppress the matter,” said Suchismita’s father.
Maheswar is a resident of Badamba area.
The Commissionerate police on Monday night told the media that the ownership of the vehicle, which ran over the Suchismita, is still in the name of Sidharth Construction though it was sold out in 2009.
Though the construction company had sold out the vehicle to former Speaker of Odisha Assembly, Kishore Mohanty, in 2009, the ownership of the vehicle is still in its name, sources in police said.
On Monday, the police had served a notice to the construction company to furnish details of the concerned vehicle.
The Commissionerate Police had also raided the office of the Siddharth Construction and verified the documents of the vehicle which had run over the girl student.
The agitating OUAT students had staged a road blockade at Siripur Square on Monday morning. They alleged that police are not taking action against the driver as Siddharth Construction is owned by the kin of BJD MLA Debasish Samantray. Claiming that the case was a not accident, rather a pre-planned murder, they had demanded a fair probe.
However, the students later withdrew the blockade after the intervention of additional DCP, who assured them of action against the guilty.
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Notably, a third year MCA student of the varsity, Suchismita Biswal died after being hit by a Tata Safari SUV owned by Siddharth Construction on Siripur-Fire Station road on Saturday night. Another girl, Pragyna Tiwari, sustained injuries in the accident and is undergoing treatment.
A notice was also served to the firm to furnish details of the concerned vehicle by 10 am tomorrow.
The students alleged that police are not taking action against the driver as Siddharth Construction is owned by the kin of BJD MLA Debasish Samantray. Demanding a fair probe, they further alleged that the case was a not accident, rather a pre-planned murder.
Later, the road was cleared after the intervention of additional DCP, who assured the irate students of action against guilty.
A third year MCA student of the varsity, Suchismita Biswal died after being hit by a Tata Safari SUV owned by Siddharth Construction on Siripur-Fire Station road on Saturday night.
Another girl, Pragyna Tiwari, sustained injuries in the accident and is undergoing treatment.
While police have seized the vehicle, the driver fled the spot.
Clarifying the matter, Malkangiri SP, Jagmohan Meena said, police has seized a hand-written notebook of the deceased minor girl Bandana Sarkar in which she has mentioned that Biswajit Sarkar, the headmaster of Sikhapali Residential School used to sexually abuse her.
Even as the exact cause of the death of the girl is yet to be ascertained, Police suspect that the girl might have taken the extreme step after losing mental balance following sexual harassment.
“Based on the seized notebook we have arrested the accused headmaster on charges of abetting suicide and further investigation is on,” said the SP.
What is more shocking is that, during the course of investigation, another girl of the same school also levelled similar allegations of sexual harassment against the headmaster.
“After another girl lodged a complaint that she too was subjected to sexual assault, we registered a second case against the accused and he would be forwarded to court in both these cases,” said the SP.
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On August 2, a hostel warden of the Sikhapali Residential School spotted Bandana lying in a pool of blood with her wrist slit, inside the computer room of the school.
Later she was rushed to Malkangiri hospital where doctors declared her brought-dead. An autopsy report meanwhile has clarified that she died of excessive bleeding.
Ahmed, who hails from Bhubaneswar, was rescued in an unconscious condition from the corridor of NIT hostel in Rourkela today. Later, the college authorities rushed Ahmed to the Community Welfare Society (CWS) hospital where he was declared brought dead by the doctors.
Though the exact reason behind Ahmed's death is still unclear, senior police have started a probe into the matter. Moreover, an unnatural death case has been registered in connection with the incident, reports said.
More details awaited.
According to sources, Murali was taken ill at the school hostel on October 23 after alleged overtraining. His family initially took him from the school hostel to Bonai hospital and later transferred him to Rourkela hospital. As his health condition deteriorated after a few days of treatment, they decided to shift him to Burla VIMSAR, but Murali succumbed on the way to the hospital on November 2.
However, suspecting foul play, Murali’s family members approached the police alleging that the school NCC teacher, Ramesh Sethi forced Murali to overtrain which led to his death. Based on the complaint, police exhumed the body of the deceased for post mortem in presence of the Magistrate.
Bonai SDPO Abakash Routray said necessary formalities have been carried out and investigation is on.