Nabarangpur: A 14-year-old Class VIII student of Batibeda Ashram School under Bhamini Gram Panchayat in Umerkote block of Odisha’s Nabarangpur district was found hanging from a tree near the school premises late Saturday night, triggering shock and concern among students, staff, and local residents.
The girl, a resident of Daldali village, was staying in the school hostel and had returned from home on June 25.
According to sources, the incident came to light during dinner on Saturday evening when hostel authorities noticed that three female students were missing from the dining hall. School officials immediately launched a search operation. While two students were located on campus, the third girl was found hanging from a tree roughly 1 km from the school premises, by an odhni (dupatta).
With no mobile network available in the girl’s village, teachers traveled there around 1 am to inform her family about the incident. Upon receiving the news, her parents and fellow villagers rushed to the school premises.
The girl’s father subsequently lodged a complaint at Umerkote police station, urging a thorough investigation into the circumstances of her death.
Police reached the spot, recovered the body, and sent it for postmortem. A case of unnatural death has been registered, and investigators are examining whether the death was a result of suicide or involved any other factors. The District Welfare Officer also visited the school, and officials have indicated that action will be taken if any lapses or negligence by school or hostel authorities come to light.
The exact motive behind the incident remains unclear, as no suicide note or immediate trigger has been identified. Police have initiated a detailed probe, questioning school staff and gathering statements from students and family members.