In another instance of the sorry state of affairs in Government-run schools in the State, 40 students of the Tarlakota residential school under Korukonda block in Malkangiri district jumped over the boundary wall of the school hostel and walked miles to put forth their grievances before the district Collector.
Sources said the students were starving as the hostel authorities did not serve them food on Thursday night. With no option left, the students decided to bring the matter to the notice of the Collector. The 40 hostel inmates jumped over the boundary and started walking in the dark to meet the Collector, 25 km away from the hostel.
Some locals spotted the students and called up the police, who rushed to the spot and took the children back to the hostel in auto-rickshaws. The cops also provided snacks to the children before dropping them at the hostel.
Later, the District Welfare Officer reached the spot and assured the locals that the matter would be investigated and action would be taken accordingly.