A district-level sports competition in Odisha's Sonepur has sparked outrage and prompted administrative action after a student was severely injured and his mother was forced to pawn her ration card to pay for his treatment.

The victim, Krishna Nayak, an eighth-grade student from Ballaranga village under Dunguripali block, reportedly fractured his arm during a high-jump event at his school. Following the accident, Krishna was rushed to the Sonepur District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). However, according to reports, neither the school administration nor the teachers came forward to help with his medical expenses.

Faced with acute financial hardship, Krishna’s mother took the desperate step of mortgaging the family’s ration card to a villager for Rs 4,000 to fund her son’s treatment. The distressing incident quickly went viral, drawing widespread public criticism and forcing the administration to act.

In response, the district administration suspended the physical education trainer responsible for supervising the event and confirmed that further disciplinary action may follow after a detailed inquiry.

Collector Ensures Free Treatment and Aid

Upon learning about the incident, Sonepur District Collector visited the hospital to meet Krishna and his family. He assured them that the boy’s treatment would be provided free of cost and also promised additional financial support to help the family recover from their crisis.

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The incident has once again raised questions about safety measures and accountability in school sports events, as well as the plight of underprivileged families struggling to afford basic healthcare.