Ragging allegations surface at government school hostel in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj

Serious allegations of ragging emerged from a government school hostel in the Khunta area of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.  Reports indicate that several junior students were subjected to physical punishment and humiliation by their seniors.

The incident, which was partially captured on video, raised significant concerns regarding student safety and the lack of administrative oversight at the state-run facility.

Details Of The Punitive Action

According to the allegations, a Class 9 student forced three Class 7 students to kneel for an extended period in front of other hostel boarders. The ordeal reportedly began during play hours, as the junior students were allegedly targeted for playing behind the hostel building. 

A video clip of the incident, which has since circulated widely, shows the three students kneeling while being interrogated by senior pupils.

However, subsequent accounts from the victims and their parents suggest the scale of the incident was larger than initially recorded. 

While the video depicts three students, it is alleged that approximately eight to nine students were involved. 

Reports indicate that the seniors gave the Class 7 students an ultimatum, those who agreed to be physically beaten would be exempt from the prolonged kneeling. Consequently, nearly seven students were reportedly struck by the Class 9 student to avoid the kneeling punishment.

Guardians Raise Concerns Over Chronic Negligence

The incident came to light after parents viewed the video footage and visited the school to confront the administration. One guardian said, "I had seen a video clip showing our children kneeling down while some other students were questioning them. Our child told us that it was the ninth graders who had forced them to kneel. We do not know exactly why they had done this, but we were told that this was a punishment for our children because they were playing there. We went to the school immediately after seeing the video clip."

Disturbingly, parents alleged that this is not an isolated event, claiming that similar instances of ragging have occurred at the hostel previously. 
They further expressed frustration over the absence of senior staff. At the time of the incident, the school reportedly had no permanent Head Master, with the institution being managed by authorities in an "in-charge" capacity.

Questions Over Administrative Accountability

The whereabouts of the School Superintendent, the Head Master in-charge, and the hostel warden during the incident remain unknown. Guardians have alleged that senior officials are frequently absent from their posts, leaving the daily management of the hostel to lower-level employees.

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Despite the gravity of the accusations and the evidence provided by the video, no official response could be received from the school authorities. 

Furthermore, no details regarding disciplinary actions against the involved students or the staff members responsible for supervision were available at the time of reporting.