Navodaya student’s suicide: Locals demand arrest of principal

Bhadrak: Tension ran high at Basudevpur in Bhadrak district today as irate locals staged a road blockade demanding immediate arrest of principal of Navodaya Vidyalaya while blaming him for the death of a Class XI student who committed suicide inside the hostel in the school premises yesterday.

The irate locals blocked Basudevpur-Dharma road Chandimal Chhak while keeping the body of the deceased student on the road.

Talking to media persons, Kailash Chandra Bhoi, uncle of the deceased, demanded stern action against the principal. “What was the reason for which the principal kicked my nephew in front of his father? In spite of the allegation that my nephew had resorted to malpractice during examination, he should not have gone to the extent of kicking him in front of his father. I urge the district administration to conduct a thorough investigation and punish the principal for his inhuman act,” he added.

“With utmost anguish, I want to say that the principal is yet to be arrested. We demand that the police should take immediate steps in arresting the principal and the other staffs of the school who are responsible for the death of the student,” said Ramesh Chandra Nayak, a local.

Police has registered a case following the complaint by the family of the deceased student and started investigation, Bhadrak SP Dilip Kumar Das said.

He said the police is on the lookout of the principal who has absconded after the incident.

Police today conducted the post mortem of the body at the district headquarters hospital.

Notably, the principal had called up the father of Padmalochan Bhoi to the school on September 3 and in his presence thrashed his son for resorting to malpractice during examination.

Four days after the incident, the body of Padmalochan was found hanging inside the hostel room last evening.