Chhatrapur: The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights uncovered serious violations of safety and regulatory standards during an unannounced inspection of a private school in Ganjam district on Monday, in connection with the death of a Class V student in a hostel.

The inspection at Sri Sai Saraswati Vidya Mandir in Kalajamuna, within the Ganjam block, was conducted by Chairperson Babita Patra, alongside commission members Chandana Das, Manasmita Khuntia, and Kasturi Mishra.

The team examined official records concerning fire safety, first aid, CCTV surveillance, and the authorization to operate the hostel.

This investigation pertains to the death of a Class V student who reportedly ingested poison inside the hostel a couple of years ago and subsequently died during treatment. A post-mortem examination confirmed poisoning as the cause of death.

The commission raised questions regarding how the poison was brought into the hostel, highlighting concerns about the vigilance of the school and hostel management.

During the inspection, it was revealed that the hostel was functioning without government certification. Additionally, expired fire safety certificates, inaccessible CCTV footage, and empty first aid kits were noted.

Furthermore, the school failed to provide photocopies of land records, with authorities claiming that the original documents had been submitted to a bank.

The commission also discovered that the school was not affiliated with any educational board to offer Classes IX and X.

Members expressed alarm over what they termed serious negligence in safeguarding the students’ safety and security in classrooms and the hostel, which contravenes the state government’s “zero casualty” policies.

The commission also scrutinized the block education office’s role in not conducting timely compliance reviews of the school. Patra indicated that legal action might be pursued against those accountable.