Student Safety / Six Students Escape Mayurbhanj School Hostel, Search Intensifies

Mayurbhanj, Aug 18: Tension gripped Sarasakana block late Monday night after six hostel students of Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir reportedly escaped by scaling the hostel boundary wall.

The incident has sparked widespread concern over student safety and the management of gurukul-style education institutions.

According to school authorities, four of the missing students are from Class X — Nirmalya Sahoo, Shubham Pati, Shubhranshu Nayak, and Rohit Behera — while two are from Class IX, identified as Shubham Benik and Omprasad Mohanty.

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CCTV footage captured between 12:15 and 12:20 AM confirmed their escape.

The sudden disappearance has created panic among parents and locals. The school principal, Lakshmikant Behera, said that staff immediately began searching nearby areas and informed the families of the missing students.

Police have also launched an investigation, reviewing CCTV footage from the school and surrounding areas, while efforts are underway to track the students’ mobile phones.

Questions are being raised about the adequacy of security measures, with critics pointing to lapses in supervision. The absence of effective monitoring has triggered debates on the gurukul education system and its relevance in modern times.

Police officials confirmed that search operations are ongoing and assured that the students will be traced soon. Authorities believe that only after the students are found will the actual reasons behind their escape be revealed.

Meanwhile, demands have intensified for strict action against those responsible for negligence and for stronger safeguards to prevent such incidents in the future.