Bhubaneswar, April 16 The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday wrote to Antar Singh Arya, Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), seeking his urgent intervention into the death of a tribal student and mass illness due to food poisoning at a government-run school in Rasagovindpur block of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha.
The senior BJD leaders in their letter noted that a 12-year-old tribal student, Rupali Besra, lost her life while undergoing treatment at the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital in Baripada on April 14 while more than 150 other students residing in the hostel fell severely ill after consuming stale food served on April 12.
They also alleged that the food included 'Pakhala' (fermented rice), saga bhaja, and mashed potatoes, were leftovers from April 11 and served in violation of prescribed dietary norms.
"The incident has raised grave concerns about negligence, lack of adherence to food safety standards, and failure of duty by the authorities responsible for the welfare of Scheduled Tribe students in state-run residential institutions. It is particularly alarming that despite a mandated nutritious meal plan, substandard and stale food was served to vulnerable children," the BJD leaders alleged.
The regional party leaders also asserted that several students are still undergoing treatment at the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital and the Community Health Centre in Rasagovindpur, indicating the severity of the situation.
They said the incident sparked widespread outrage among parents, local residents, and the public, adding that it reflects a serious systemic lapse requiring immediate and stringent action.
The BJD leaders urge the commission to initiate an independent and thorough inquiry into the incident, fix accountability and take strict action against the officials responsible for negligence and dereliction of duty and ensure adequate compensation and support to the bereaved family of the deceased student.
The NCST has also been requested to recommend measures to strengthen food safety, monitoring, and accountability mechanisms in all Ashram schools run by the government across the state and ensure proper medical care and rehabilitation for all affected students.
The BJD leaders also requested the NCST Chairman to undertake a personal visit to Mayurbhanj district at the earliest to get a first-hand assessment of the situation, which will also instill confidence among the affected families and strengthen the hopes of the tribal community.
"We request your immediate intervention in this matter to ensure justice for the victim and to safeguard the well-being and rights of tribal students," the BJD leaders urged.
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