Berhampur, Feb 15: Tension gripped Sri Aurobindo Purnanga Skihya Kendra at Khallikote in Odisha’s Ganjam district after the sudden death of a Class 10 student inside the hostel premises on Sunday, officials said.

The deceased student has been identified as Mihir Pradhan.

According to reports, Mihir, son of Santosh Pradhan of Bagalpur village under Khallikote police limits, had been residing in the hostel for the past three years while pursuing his studies.

Mihir returned from a routine walk with fellow students and collapsed unconscious within the school premises this morning. He was immediately rushed to the Khallikote Community Health Centre for emergency treatment, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.

News of the student’s death spread quickly, drawing family members, relatives, and villagers to the hospital. The atmosphere turned tense as grieving relatives and locals confronted school authorities, alleging negligence.

After getting information, Khallikote Police reached the spot to control the situation and later seized the body for postmortem examination. The exact cause of death remains unclear and will be ascertained after investigation, police said.

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Several local leaders, including MLA Purna Chandra Sethy, and the local Tehsildar visited the hospital to assess the situation and pacify the agitated crowd.

Meanwhile, the school campus and surrounding areas remain under a cloud of grief and tension.