Bhubaneswar: Three minors were detained by police in Keonjhar district on Wednesday for allegedly strangulating a 15-year-old fellow student to death in the hostel of a private residential college. The victim, identified as Jaladhara Mahanta from Tangarapada village in Champua block, was enrolled in a summer coaching course at the college in Dhangarpada, under the Town Police jurisdiction.
According to reports, the incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Tuesday when another student, fetching water near Jaladhara’s room, discovered him unconscious on his bed. The college authorities promptly rushed him to Keonjhar District Headquarters Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Investigations revealed that one of the accused, who served as a class monitor during the summer course, had ongoing conflicts with Jaladhara. The victim reportedly disregarded the monitor’s instructions and had made derogatory comments about the accused days earlier. Tensions escalated on Monday night when the accused and Jaladhara engaged in a heated argument. In a fit of rage, the accused allegedly restrained Jaladhara with a blanket and strangled him with a napkin.
The three minors were produced before the Child Welfare Committee in Keonjhar on Wednesday, which ordered their transfer to an observation home in Rourkela for further proceedings. Jaladhara, who had recently passed his Class 10 board examinations, had joined the coaching course just 15 days prior to the incident.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the local community, raising concerns about student safety and conflict management in educational institutions. Authorities are continuing their investigation to ensure justice is served.
