Plaque Collapse at Odisha Residential School Kills Class 3 Boy, Two Injured

Overview

• The incident occurred Wednesday within the hostel premises of the Gandhi Nagar (Gandhinagar) residential ashram school in Kotpad, Koraput district.
• The deceased was identified as eight-year-old Premananda Bhatra, while Class I students Shiba Bhatra and Kiran Bhatra were injured.
• One injured child was discharged after preliminary treatment and returned to the hostel, and the other is under care at the district headquarters hospital in Jeypore.
• Officials described the failure of a short concrete wall bearing an inauguration plaque, with teachers saying the children were brushing nearby when it gave way.
• Family members and residents blocked NH-63 for about five hours demanding Rs 50 lakh and alleging negligence, after which authorities provided Rs 50,000 in cash and pledged further payment and a formal probe.