Umerkote: A Class VII hostel boarder of a government school in Odisha was admitted to district headquarter hospital (DHH) in Nabarangpur, a week after he sustained grievous injuries in a pressure cooker blast.
The incident took place at the Government Upgraded Upper Primary School hostel at K Semla village under Kosagumuda block in Nabarangpur district on November 20.
According to sources, the 12-year-old, Dhaneswar Behera, suffered severe burn injuries to his face, neck, and chest when a pressure cooker exploded while he along with other hostel boarders were preparing dal in the hostel after the cook, reportedly drunk, fell asleep.
Shockingly, the school authorities allegedly concealed the incident for over a week, provided no medical help, and also did not inform the boy’s family or district officials.
The matter came to light after BJD leader and former MP Pradeep Majhi visited the school on Friday night. He then took the boy to the district collector Maheswar Swain’s office. The district education officer Chatrapati Sahu and district welfare officer (DWO) Palka Ravindra were called in and the boy was then admitted to the DHH for treatment.
Speaking to the media, Majhi said that the week-long cover up was a face-saving exercise by the government as the students were forced to cook their own food in the hostel. He further alleged that no staff was present in the hostel when he reached and had to scale its walls to rescue the boy. “He would have died without medical care. They could have taken him to Kosagumuda CHC or DHH, but he was instead kept unattended in the hostel room. DEO and DWO are both responsible for the affairs of the school. The school belongs to the School and Mass Education department and the hostel to the Tribal department. Both the ministers are from our districts,” he said
Hinting at a possible conspiracy against tribal students, the former MP warned of a statewide strike if any happens to the boy.
Taking serious note of the gross negligence, the district administration on Saturday suspended three staff members: Headmaster Kangali Charan Sethi, Assistant teacher and hostel in-charge Kapil Sarabhu and cook Damburu Bhatra.
