Dhenkanal: The district administration promised to take action against private residential school Kalpataru Ashram at Kanteikolia under Sadar police limits here after a student went missing from its premises following physical torture.
District Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan admitted that the ashram, a private residential school formed on the lines of an ancient gurukul, was not registered. The Collector said this to media persons Sunday on the basis of a probe report submitted by the child welfare committee.
Sources said Chhotu Rohit Das (9) studying in the ashram went missing Wednesday. Chhotu, a native of Rajgangpur in Sundargarh district, was rescued from Shymacharanpur railway passenger halt.
Doctors found severe injury marks on his back, chest and limbs due to torture in the ashram. He was produced before the child welfare committee and later handed over to his family members, Sadar IIC Malay Nayak said.
Meanwhile, police launched a manhunt to nab the ashram head Murari Baba, who is absconding after the incident. Guardians alleged that the incident occurred as police never cared to address complaints of torture of inmates.
While there was no trace of the boy studying in the ashram, the ashram head Murari Baba also went absconding after the incident. It was alleged that the boy was beaten up brutally Tuesday.
The Collector said priority is being given to the security of inmates staying in the ashram and suitable action will be taken against the guilty Monday based on a probe report. Meanwhile, panicked over the development, several guardians visited the ashram Sunday to take back their children home.
However, it appeared that the district administration was not at all serious towards the security of inmates as a lone home guard was found posted at the ashram gate Sunday.
Notably, this is the second such incident of torture of minor inmates in the residential school in the district. Earlier, several female inmates of a shelter home operated by NGO Good News India were allegedly abused by its chief.
The Collector further said that the security of inmates in all residential schools was vested with the headmasters of the concerned schools.
The headmasters of the concerned schools and the authorities of the NGO-led schools are being regularly apprised on their duties and responsibilities. A meeting of the concerned school will be called again to apprise them about the prevailing government guidelines on management of residential schools.
PNN
