Bhubaneswar: The death of a Class 9 student at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar has taken a significant turn, with police on Wednesday stating that the boy was allegedly killed by three of his classmates following an altercation over spilt dal. This finding contradicts the institute’s initial claim that the student died after slipping in a hostel bathroom.
Addressing the media, Bhubaneswar Commissioner of Police Suresh Devdutt Singh said that eight KISS officials have been arrested. They are accused of intimidating and threatening minor witnesses and attempting to conceal both the crime and key evidence.
Three juveniles have also been apprehended in connection with the case and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board in Khurda district. They have since been sent to a correctional home.
The victim, 14-year-old Siba Munda from Tikargumura village in Keonjhar district, died on December 12 while undergoing treatment at KIMS Medical College and Hospital in Bhubaneswar, according to media reports. In the aftermath of his death, family members staged a protest outside the Keonjhar collectorate, accusing the residential school authorities of suppressing information and failing to share medical records clarifying the cause of death.
In his complaint to the police, the boy’s father, Raghunath Munda, stated that KISS officials had contacted him on Friday morning and informed him that his son had fallen ill and was admitted to the hospital.
According to a police officer familiar with the investigation, the post-mortem examination revealed injuries consistent with homicidal violence, ruling out the possibility of an accidental fall as previously suggested by the institution.
