NHRC seeks report on KISS student murder in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday directed Bhubaneswar police and the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) to submit an action-taken report within two weeks on the recent alleged murder of a Class IX student at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS).“The commission received a complaint about the minor’s death at KISS. The registry is directed to issue a notice to the commissioner of police and the vice-chancellor of KIIT, instructing them to inquire into the allegations and submit an action-taken report within two weeks,” the NHRC order stated.NHRC’s member Priyank Kanoongo told reporters that the commission issued notice to KIIT as its part of KISS. Earlier, on Dec 18, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) asked the Odisha govt to furnish its action-taken report within three days.The 14-year-old victim, hailing from Keonjhar district, was allegedly strangled by three hostel mates on the night of Dec 11. He was rushed to KIMS hospital—part of the same group of institutions—where doctors claimed he died of a heart attack. However, the case took a grim turn on Dec 17 when Bhubaneswar police confirmed that the boy was murdered inside the KISS hostel, dismissing the hospital’s claim of a natural death. On the same day, police arrested eight staff members of KISS and detained three minor students on charges of murder, suppression of facts, and attempted destruction of evidence.So far, KIIT, KISS, and KIMS authorities have not issued any statement on the incident, which sparked nationwide outrage.