Ragging incidents rock Sundargarh tribal schools in Odisha

Two incidents of alleged ragging and physical assault have been reported at government-run tribal residential schools in Sundargarh district, Odisha. The first incident occurred at a residential school, where a Class VI boy was allegedly assaulted by a group of Class IX students. The victim's parents were not informed about the incident in time, and he was taken to a hospital. An inquiry has been launched into the incident, and the school has been instructed to adhere to standard safety protocols.

The incident took place on Thursday at the Deokaranpur residential school run by the state ST & SC Development department at Jarangloi in Bargaon block. Sources said a group of Class IX students allegedly assaulted the Class VI boy in the hostel after accusing him of stealing a watch. The victim’s parents rushed him to the Bargaon community health centre (CHC) in an ambulance after learning about the assault. On Friday, the aggrieved parents, accompanied by villagers and a local panchayat samiti member, staged a protest at the school and raised concerns over the safety of students. The parents alleged that they were neither informed about the incident in time nor was the child provided immediate medical attention. The boy had contusions on his back and thighs, and a cut on his lip.

In-charge district welfare officer (DWO) of Sundargarh Bibekanand Mohanty said the school has no warden for its hostel. An inquiry found that four Class IX students accused the victim of stealing a watch and assaulted them, he added. Mohanty said authorities of both the schools have been instructed to strictly adhere to standard safety protocols and take adequate measures, including regular awareness programmes, to prevent physical or verbal abuse, bullying and harassment on campuses.

The second incident took place on August 13 at Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) in Sadar block of Sundargarh, run under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. A Class VI boy was allegedly bullied by a Class VII student, who forced him to perform around 800 sit-ups while holding his ears for failing to comply with his instructions. The junior was reportedly allowed to stop only after he became exhausted.

The incident came to light after the victim complained of uneasiness during a physical education training (PET) session on August 17. He reportedly had swollen thighs and complained of pain in his legs. He was taken to a nearby hospital and subsequently narrated the incident to the EMRS principal. The DWO said an inquiry had been launched into the incident at the EMRS. He also pointed out that the school has four hostel buildings located at different points, but only one warden.

Mohanty said authorities of both the schools have been instructed to strictly adhere to standard safety protocols and take adequate measures, including regular awareness programmes, to prevent physical or verbal abuse, bullying and harassment on campuses. Anti-bullying committees are functioning across tribal residential schools, he added. The authorities have assured that anti-bullying committees are functioning across tribal residential schools, and regular awareness programs will be conducted to prevent such incidents in the future.

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