Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to Odisha Chief Secretary and the SP of Mayurbhanj district, seeking a detailed report within two weeks over the death of a girl student and 100 other pupils falling ill after eating stale food at a state-run school.
The NHRC took suo motu cognisance of reports about the death of one student and 100 other students falling ill after consuming stale food at the residential hostel of Kakabandh Ashram School of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha April 14, 2026.
The victim was a class 5 student of the school run by the ST and SC Welfare Department of the state government.
The NHRC has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of human rights violations of the victims. Therefore, it has issued notices to the chief secretary, Odisha government and the Superintendent of Police, Mayurbhanj, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks, an official release issued Saturday said.
The rights panel said that it is expected that the officials will include the status of the investigation as well as the health of the victim students.
According to the report, the condition of about 67 students was serious, and they were shifted to the Baripada Medical College and Hospital, while 41 others were admitted to a Community Health Centre.
A Class 5 student identified as Rupali Besra (12) died, and over 100 fell ill in a suspected case of food poisoning after they consumed stale pakhala (fermented rice), saga bhaja (fried green leaves) and aloo bharta at the hostel of a state government-run residential school in Mayurbhanj district.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced an administrative inquiry by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), central division and an ex gratia of Rs 3 lakh for the girl’s family and the headmaster of the school, Jayanta Kumar Panigrahi, was suspended by the local administration.
