Child Rights Watch (CRW), an organisation fighting for rights of children in the State, on Wednesday demanded Crime Branch probe into death of a Matric student Shaktiman Nayak of the Santhapur High School under Gondia block in Dhenkanal district. CRW convener Pradipta Nayak, who had visited the deceased student’s village with his fact-finding team, alleged that two teachers of the high school and the local Sarpanch had beaten the student black and blue a few hours before his death.
Narrating the story, the activist said Shaktiman along with his mother Damayanti Nayak was in a school managing committee (SMC) meeting on February 13 last when a girl student from eighth class alleged that her friends were teasing her that Shaktiman was in love with her. Upon this, the teachers and the local Sarpanch got infuriated and scolded Shaktiman without inquiring into the matter. They dragged him to a secluded room and thrashed him there.
After a few minutes, the activist said, Shaktiman ran away from the school premises by telling her mother that he would die soon. Damayanti requested the headmaster to save his son, but nobody paid heed. When she reached home, she found her son vomiting blood.