In a shocking revelation, Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner S. Dev Datta Singh stated that the death of 14-year-old Class 9 student Shiva Munda at a renowned private residential school was a case of murder. The incident occurred on the night of December 11 in the boys’ hostel toilet.
The victim’s father, Raghunath Munda, filed a complaint, leading to a Zero FIR at Keonjhar Town police station, which was later transferred to Infocity police station as case no. 656/25. Sections 103(1), 232, 238, 351(3), 296, 249(A), 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, have been invoked.
As a result, eight staff members have been arrested: Pramod Kumar Patra (50), Binay Kumar Gochhi (37), Prasanna Kumar Malla (54),
– Pradeep Kumar Das (54), Rashmiranjan Nayak (45), Hemant Kumar Mahapatra (45), Shubhakant Behera (32), and Sujata Mishra (37)
The three minor accused have been produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. Investigation is ongoing, with questions raised over the institution’s safety measures and accountability, especially as it is known for educating tribal students.
The case has sparked widespread discussion across the state. At a press conference on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Singh, along with DCP Jagmohan Meena and Zonal ACP Sonali Singh Parmer, provided details, attended by senior commissionerate police officials.
