OSCPCR to revisit KISS, re-examine campus environment after student murder: Chairperson Patra

The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) will conduct a fresh inspection of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar to closely examine the campus environment, food quality, living conditions and academic arrangements in the wake of the Class IX student murder, OSCPCR chairperson Babita Patra said on Friday.

Patra, who recently led an on-ground inquiry at the KISS campus, said the Commission has decided to return to the institution after the initial inspection revealed several concerns related to student welfare and basic living standards.

“We will visit KISS again and closely study the overall environment. The arrangements related to students’ education, food and accommodation will be examined in detail,” Patra said.

Fresh Inspection Planned, Reports Sought

Stating that the inquiry is far from over, the OSCPCR chairperson said the Commission has formally sought the investigation report from the police in connection with the student’s death. At the same time, the KISS authorities have also been asked to submit their own report explaining the sequence of events.

“We have asked the police for their investigation report in the student death case. We have also sought a report from the KISS authorities,” Patra stated.

A key focus of the probe, she added, is to establish why no post-mortem examination was conducted immediately after the student’s death, a lapse that has drawn sharp questions from multiple quarters.

“We are specifically investigating why a post-mortem was not conducted after the child’s death,” she said.

Poor Food Conditions Flagged

During its campus inspection, the OSCPCR flagged serious discrepancies between the facilities claimed by KISS and what was actually being provided to students.

The Commission noted that students were being served only flattened rice and sugar for breakfast and rice with dalma for lunch, which did not match the nutritional standards showcased on the institution’s website.

The observations, she noted, make it necessary for the Commission to carry out a more comprehensive inspection to assess whether the environment at KISS is suitable for children’s physical, mental and academic well-being.

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Probe Widens After Murder Confirmed

The renewed inspection comes amid a widening investigation into the murder of a Class IX student at KISS. Police have confirmed that the student was killed by his classmates and that the incident was deliberately concealed by institutional authorities, triggering multiple inquiries by statutory bodies.

The OSCPCR chairperson said the findings from the second inspection will be compiled into a detailed report and shared with the appropriate authorities for further action.

KISS has yet to respond to the reported death of a student, the alleged concealment of facts, and the food allegations flagged by the OSCPCR.