The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) has launched a scathing attack on the Bhubaneswar commissionerate police for its handling of the investigation into the murder of a minor student at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS). The commission has accused the police of showing undue leniency towards the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) hospital, where the boy was declared dead under suspicious circumstances.
Serious Lapses in Medical Protocol Flagged
OSCPCR chairperson Babita Patra stated that a formal notice will be issued to the police, questioning why no action has been taken against the doctors at KIMS. The commission has identified grave breaches of procedure. On December 12, the boy died at KIMS with visible injury marks on his neck. Despite these suspicious signs, the hospital authorities did not conduct a mandatory postmortem and failed to inform the police. Instead, they released the body to the family, attributing the death to cardiac arrest.
"The doctors neither conducted a mandatory postmortem nor informed the police when the boy died under suspicious circumstances," Patra emphasized. "We recommend stringent action against the hospital authorities." The truth only emerged after a postmortem was conducted at a government hospital in Keonjhar on December 13, which confirmed the boy was strangled.
Allegations of Collusion and Police Inaction
The commission chairperson raised pointed questions about the police's delayed response. While the police have arrested eight KISS staff members for murder, suppression of facts, and destruction of evidence, and detained three hostel mates, action against KIMS remains pending. "While the police have already arrested eight KISS authorities for trying to paint the murder as a natural death, the delay in taking action against the hospital is questionable," Patra said.
She also expressed suspicion of collusion, noting the proximity of the Infocity police station to the KISS campus and the shared ownership of both institutions. "Since both institutions belong to the same group, their connivance cannot be ruled out," she alleged, suggesting a possible cover-up attempt.
Ongoing Probe and Mounting Outrage
In response to the criticism, Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh maintained that the investigation is progressing appropriately. "Our investigation is ongoing. Whoever is found guilty will not be spared," Singh told the media. Police sources revealed that the boy's treatment records from KIMS have been sent to a medical board for expert scrutiny to determine if prescribed treatment and reporting protocols were followed.
The blatant breach of medical and legal protocol has sparked significant outrage among child rights activists and legal experts. Activist Sujata Priyadarshini echoed the demand for accountability, stating, "The hospital administration should be held accountable." Both KISS and KIMS have declined to comment on the allegations as the probe continues to unfold.
