Odisha hostel sealed after brutal beating of eighth-grader, three students arrested

The district administration on Friday took strict action following a disturbing incident at a private hostel in Barpuriakia under Nayagarh's Daspalla police station, where an eighth-grade student was brutally beaten by senior students. A viral video showing three tenth-grade students physically assaulting the younger student prompted swift action from the authorities.

Three students involved in the assault have been arrested, and the hostel has been sealed. The police initially brought the three students and the coaching center owner to the Daspalla police station for questioning. 

While the coaching centre owner was later released, the three students were formally arrested and sent to court for legal proceedings. The mother of the victim expressed her concern over the safety of her child. 

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“My son is studying here. He had come home for Dussehra and had since not attended school. Meanwhile, some students had beaten him, and we were unaware of it. Later, someone sent us a video of the incident. We don’t feel safe for our child,” she said.

Daspalla Tehsildar Smrutiranjan Satapathy assured that the administration is taking the matter seriously. 

“Preliminarily, steps should be taken for the safety and hygiene of the students, which is currently lacking. Moreover, living space and other essentials have not been adhered to. If we get any complaints, we will take necessary steps subsequently,” he stated.

The incident has raised serious concerns over student safety and hostel management practices in private institutions, prompting authorities to call for stricter monitoring to ensure the well-being of children.