Chhatrapur: The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights found serious violations of safety and regulatory norms during a surprise inspection of a private school in Ganjam district Monday in connection with the death of a Class V student in a hostel.
The inspection at Sri Sai Saraswati Vidya Mandir in Kalajamuna under Ganjam block was led by Chairperson Babita Patra, along with commission members Chandana Das, Manasmita Khuntia and Kasturi Mishra.
The team reviewed official records related to fire safety, first aid, CCTV surveillance and permission to operate the hostel.
The case relates to the death of a Class V student who allegedly consumed poison inside the hostel a couple of years ago and later died during treatment.
A post-mortem confirmed poisoning as the cause of death.
The commission questioned how the poison entered the hostel, raising concerns over the alertness of the school and hostel authorities.
During the inspection, the commission found the hostel was operating without government certification. It also noted expired fire safety certificates, inaccessible CCTV recordings and empty first aid boxes.
Additionally, photocopies of land records were unavailable, with school authorities claiming the original documents had been submitted to a bank.
The commission further found that the school lacks affiliation with any educational board to conduct Classes IX and X.
Members expressed concern over what they described as serious negligence in ensuring the safety and security of students in both classrooms and the hostel, in violation of the state government’s “zero casualty” norms.
The commission also questioned the role of the block education office in failing to conduct timely reviews of the school’s compliance. Patra said legal action could be taken against those responsible.