Sambalpur: Police on Friday arrested the head of a coaching centre in Singhapali area here after a Class IX student studying in his institute reportedly drowned in a pond. The deceased Rajat Kumar Sahoo, a resident of Bamra in the district, was a student of Chipilima Navodaya Vidyalaya.
According to sources, Rajat's father Laxmidhar Sahoo had enrolled his son's name for a one-month summer course at the coaching centre in Singhapali, where he had been staying and studying.
On Friday, Laxmidhar received a call from the coaching centre informing him that Rajat's health condition is critical and he has been admitted to Sadar hospital. Laxmidhar rushed to the hospital, only to find that his son is no more.
"When I reached the hospital, I saw my son on the stretcher. Not a single person from the coaching centre was present there. When I asked the doctors, they informed that my son is already dead," said Laxmidhar.
On the other hand, Asit Purohit, head of the coaching centre, said, "A few villagers came to the institute to inform that one of our students has drowned in a pond. I along with hostel warden went to the spot. We rushed Rajat to hospital as he was alive."
Following a preliminary investigation, Ainthapalli police found that Rajat had gone to a nearby pond along with a few other students where he drowned. An unnatural death (UD) case has been registered by police while Asit Purohit has been arrested in this connection, sources said.
"Around 195 students study in the newly opened Gourang Institute for summer courses. The institute functions in a new building and we had no idea about its functioning. The parents of Rajat have urged to carry out a probe to find out if he has been murdered. A case has been registered while further investigation is on," said Bhabani Sankar Udgata, Sambalpur SDPO.