Boy dies hours after getting injured in school kabaddi match

Keonjhar: A Class VIII student of Gidhibas Eklavya Adarsh Residential School died after sustaining injuries while playing kabaddi at school in the district. The deceased has been identified as Amit Munda (14) of Kendua village under Baria police station.Sources said Amit, a boarder, was injured on Tuesday. When his condition worsened on Wednesday morning, he was taken to Bhanda community health centre and later shifted to Keonjhar district headquarters hospital, where doctors declared him dead. His mother, Basanti Munda, accused the school authorities of negligence. Amit’s father died a few years back.After the body was brought home on Wednesday evening, the family refused to accept it, demanding an inquiry and action against those responsible. Tension prevailed in the village until police and local administration intervened.Principal Panchanan Pradhan said the boy did not inform the authorities about his injury. “He had snacks in the evening. Around 7 pm, he went to the sick room and told the nurse that he had a headache. He did not say anything else. The nurse treated him suspecting it to be a gastric problem. Amit then returned to the hostel. In the morning when he fell sick, the house warden and others took him to Bhanda CHC. We informed his mother immediately. He was shifted to Keonjhar. The doctor referred him to Cuttack, but he was later declared dead,” Pradhan said.Sub-divisional police officer (Champua) Rashmi Ranjan Sahu said a case of unnatural death has been registered at Baria police station and an investigation has been launched. “No formal complaint has been lodged by the family,” Sahu said.MLA (Patna) Akhila Chandra Naik said he has asked the police to probe the incident properly. “After investigation, detailed information about the incident will come to the fore.”