The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has stepped into the investigation surrounding the tragic death of a minor student at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar. On Wednesday, the rights body issued a directive, giving the Bhubaneswar police commissioner and the vice-chancellor of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) a strict two-week deadline to submit a detailed action-taken report.
NHRC and NCST Step Up Pressure for Answers
The commission's intervention follows a formal complaint it received regarding the minor's death. The NHRC registry has been instructed to issue notices to the concerned authorities, mandating a thorough inquiry into the grave allegations. NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo clarified to reporters that the notice was sent to KIIT as it is part of the same group as KISS. This move by the NHRC comes close on the heels of action by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), which on December 18 asked the Odisha government to furnish its own report within just three days.
From 'Heart Attack' to Murder: The Case's Grim Turn
The incident involves a 14-year-old boy from Keonjhar district. He was allegedly strangled by three of his hostel mates on the night of December 11. Initially, the narrative took a confusing turn when the boy was rushed to the KIMS hospital, which is part of the same institutional group. Doctors there claimed the cause of death was a heart attack.
However, the case took a dramatic and grim turn on December 17. The Bhubaneswar police definitively confirmed that the boy was murdered inside the KISS hostel, completely dismissing the hospital's claim of a natural death. In a significant development on the same day, law enforcement arrested eight staff members of KISS. Additionally, three minor students were detained. The charges levied are severe, including murder, suppression of facts, and attempted destruction of evidence.
Nationwide Outrage and Awaiting Accountability
The case has sparked widespread outrage and concern across the nation, putting a spotlight on the safety and governance within residential educational institutions. A glaring aspect of this entire episode is the silence from the authorities of the involved institutions. So far, KIIT, KISS, and KIMS have not issued any official statement regarding the incident or the subsequent arrests.
With the NHRC's latest directive, the pressure for a transparent and swift investigation has intensified manifold. All eyes are now on the two-week deadline, awaiting the action-taken report that must detail the steps undertaken by the police and the institute's management to address this horrific crime and ensure justice for the victim.
