Bhubaneswar KISS student’s death: OSCPCR to register case, probe ‘lapses’

The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) on Monday informed that it will take suo motu cognisance of the death of a Class IX tribal student enrolled at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar, with Chairperson Babita Patra stating that a formal case will be registered and alleged multiple procedural aspects will be examined.

Addressing the media, Patra said the Commission would seek clarity on the circumstances and cause of the student’s death, including why the body was handed over without a post-mortem examination being conducted at Bhubaneswar.

She said that while the death was initially reported as ‘unnatural’, the Commission has not yet received any confirmed or detailed report establishing the cause. Patra stated that the Commission would examine whether the death was accidental or otherwise, and that further action would follow after the inquiry.

“One of our teams in Keonjhar visited the family and took stock of the situation. When the Bhubaneswar KISS sent the boy, they reported the death as due to a cardiac choke. However, we are yet to receive any confirmation report of the same,” she stated.

KISS To Be Questioned

The OSCPCR chairperson said a suo motu case would be filed on Monday itself. She added that the Commission would formally question both KISS and KIMS Medical College and Hospital on why the student’s body was released without a post-mortem.

“I will also be heading a team to Bhubaneswar KISS and scrutinising the living conditions of the students. We will also probe the facilities provided to them, the food quality, and the quality of care provided to the students. Any developments will be communicated after that investigation concludes,” added Chairperson Patra.

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Family Alleges Concealment

The deceased student, a Class IX tribal boy from Tikargumura village in Keonjhar district, was studying at KISS in its residential facility. The family has alleged that the institute and hospital authorities concealed facts surrounding the death.

According to the family, they were informed that the boy had slipped in a bathroom, suffered a leg fracture and was admitted to the hospital. However, by the time the father reached KIMS Medical College and Hospital in Bhubaneswar, the child had already died.

The family alleged that no medical documents or treatment records were provided and that no post-mortem was conducted before the body was handed over.

Following the death, the family and local residents staged a protest in Keonjhar by placing the body outside the district Collector’s office, demanding a transparent investigation. After administrative intervention, the body was sent for post-mortem examination in Keonjhar.

As of the filing of this report, no official statement had been issued by KISS authorities or KIMS Medical College and Hospital addressing the allegations raised by the family or clarifying the sequence of medical procedures followed after the student was admitted.