The Jajpur administration on Wednesday ordered a thorough investigation into the incident, one day after a Class IV student passed away in a government school after allegedly being forced to perform sit-ups, as reported by The New Indian Express.
Rasulpur block education officer (BEO) Nilambar Mishra was given the task of investigating the circumstances surrounding the 10-year-old student's death by Jajpur district education officer (DEO) Nibedita Pani. That day, a group headed by assistant BEO Pravanjan Pati paid a visit to the school to conduct an inquiry.
DEO Pani stated that despite the administration's taking suo motu cognizance of the matter after it surfaced in the media, the family of the deceased student has not filed a complaint. On Wednesday night, the student's body was cremated in Orali village and given to family members following a postmortem.
According to Kuakhia IIC Srikanta Barik, police have not yet received a complaint regarding the incident.
The Case
The 10-year-old Surya Narayan Nodal Upper Primary School student at Orali in Rasulpur block collapsed on Tuesday after it was allegedly suggested that he perform sit-ups as punishment for playing during class. After being taken to the nearby community health center, he was taken to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, where medical professionals pronounced him deceased.
He was playing in the school with four other classmates when a female teacher noticed them, just like every day. It is alleged that she made the kids perform sit-ups as a form of punishment for playing during class time. The boy lost consciousness after falling down while performing sit-ups. After his parents were notified, they promptly took him and the teachers to the Madhuban Community Health Centre.
