Nabarangpur: The incharge headmaster and hostel warden of Kokadi Semala Ashram School in Kosagumuda block have been suspended, while the hostel cook has been dismissed, after authorities discovered that a Class VII student injured in a pressure cooker blast was kept in the hostel for nine days without medical care.
The action was taken on the District Collector’s directions after former MP Pradeep Majhi rescued the injured boy, Dhaneswar Bhatra, Friday night. Majhi had received a tipoff from a local source, rushed to the hostel, and found the child with severe facial injuries. He took him to the District Collector’s residence at around 10pm for urgent medical attention.
Majhi questioned how neither the School and Mass Education Department nor the ST and SC Development Department — both responsible for the school — was aware of the incident, and held the district administration accountable for supervisory failure.
Following the inquiry, the Block Education Officer suspended in-charge headmaster Kangalicharan Sethi and hostel warden Kapil Sarabu, while PA, ITDA Rajeev Kumar Sahoo terminated cook Dambaru Bhatra.
