Bhubaneswar: The State Government suspended the headmaster of Malaviharapur High School in Banki, due to dereliction of duty following a school van accident that resulted in one student’s death and several injuries.
The School and Mass Education Department took this action Kanhu Charan Sahoo and also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh to the deceased student’s family and Rs 30,000 to those injured.
The government has ordered a Collector-level inquiry into the incident. Shalini Pandit, Commissioner-Cum-Secretary of the School and Mass Education Department, visited the injured students at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack to inquire about their health condition. Fortunately, the condition of the injured students is stable.
To prevent such incidents in the future, the department has directed all schools to take necessary measures. Earlier, the District Education Officer (DEO) sought action against the headmaster, stating that he had committed an offence by sending students in a pickup van without written permission. The headmaster made this decision on his own, and the DEO recommended his suspension.
The accident occurred when a pickup van carrying around 25 students lost control and overturned near Ansupa Lake in Banki while heading to a parade ground. All students were immediately admitted to Athagarh hospital, and six were later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Sadly, one critically injured student, Soumya Ranjan Behera, succumbed to his injuries on the way to Cuttack.
