Newborn delivered in tribal school hostel in Odisha dies, headmistress suspended
Phulbani/Bhubaneswar, Jan 14: A baby delivered by a 14-year-old girl at a state-run tribal residential school's hostel in Odisha's Kandhamal district died at a hospital where she was admitted along with her teenaged mother, officials said Monday.
The girl, a class 8 student of the Sevashram High School run by ST and SC Development department in Daringbadi, had delivered the baby girl on Saturday night.
Taking a serious view of the incident, the state government Monday suspended school's headmistress Radharani Dalei and three assistant superintendents in connection with the incident.
Police are also questioning six employees of the school as part of their probe.
The minor girl and the newborn were initially admitted to Baliguda sub-divisional hospital in Kandhamal after being rescued from a forest where she had taken shelter, Kandhamal District Welfare Officer (DWO) Charulata Mallick said.
The girl had alleged that she along with the baby were driven out of the hostel and forced to take shelter in a nearby forest, Mallick said.
On Sunday night, they were shifted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, where the newborn died, hospital authorities said.
The girl is undergoing treatment at the gynaecology ward and her condition is normal, MKCG Hospital Superintendent Charana Panda said.
Kandhamal District Collector Brundha D said headmistress Dalei has been placed under suspension.
She was suspended by the state government on the recommendation of the district collector, who, on Sunday, had disengaged two matrons, two cook-cum-attendants, a lady supervisor and an auxiliary nurse-midwife of the institute from service for dereliction of duty.
The three assistant superintendents were also suspended by the collector, Mallick said.
Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports about the incident, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sent a notice to the Odisha government Monday
Noting that after the delivery, the girl along with her newborn baby was "driven out" of the hostel and forced to "take shelter in a nearby jungle", the rights panel said the state is responsible for the safety and security of the girl students staying in the residential schools.
The commission issued notice to the state's chief secretary, seeking a detailed report within four weeks on action taken against the guilty and relief or rehabilitation as well as counselling provided to the minor girl.
Baliguda sub-collector is conducting an inquiry into the incident and he is to submit a report in 10 days.
On Sunday, police had said a third-year college student -- a resident of Takalmaha village -- was arrested in connection with the incident.
Superintendent of Police, Kandhamal, Pratik Singh said Shraban Pradhan was arrested for allegedly raping the minor girl when she had gone to her village under Daringbadi police limits during vacation a few months back.
"As per the direction of the government we have taken stringent steps against the errant (employees). If necessary further action will be taken," Collector Brundha D said.
The incident has provided an opportunity to the opposition to attack the Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha.
Opposition Congress and the BJP have mounted a scathing attack on the state government over the incident.
State SC and ST Development Minister Ramesh Majhi said the district collector had been asked to submit a detailed report on the circumstances under which the girl got pregnant and delivered the baby.
The government has taken stern action against errant employees of the high school by dismissing and suspending several of them, he said.
Stating that the state government is all set to take concrete steps to prevent recurrence of such incidents, Majhi said CCTV cameras will be installed around 1,000 residential schools in the state as a measure to enhance safety and security of students, particularly girls.
On Monday, delegations of women wings of both the Congress and the BJP visited the Berhampur hospital to meet the minor girl.
While demanding resignation of the ST and SC Development minister, state Congress women wing president Sumitra Jena said the tribal girl is in a state of trauma and unable to speak coherently.
Jena also demanded a compensation of Rs 10 to 15 lakh to the girl and proper steps for her rehabilitation.
Terming the incident as shameful, she said, "it proved that the BJD government had failed miserably to provide security to girls and women, mainly tribals."
Slamming the state government over the episode, BJP leader and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said atrocities and sexual exploitation of women and minor girls are rising in Odisha due to lack of political will and inaction on the part of police.
Accusing the state government of being "insensitive" towards girls and women, Pradhan said the incident showed women have become highly insecure during the Biju Janata Dal rule.
State BJP's Scheduled Tribe Morcha President, Rabi Naik demanded immediate resignation of ST and SC Minister Ramesh Majhi and action against concerned officials.
A BJP delegation led by Naik met Governor Ganeshi Lal and submitted a memorandum seeking intervention for ensuring speedy probe into the incident and exemplary punishment to the guilty.
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At least 64 people killed in strike on hospital in Sudan: World Health Organization
Cairo: At least 64 people, including at least 13 children, were killed in a strike on a hospital in the western Darfur region of Sudan on Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday.
News agencies have reported that the strike on Al Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur on Friday not only injured at least 89 people but also rendered the hospital non-functional, Tedros Ghebreyesus, the head of the WHO, said in a post on X.
Sudan has been in a state of chaos since April 2023, when a power struggle between the military and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) developed into war across the country.
The RSF has blamed the military for the strike on the hospital.
The army, however, has denied the attack, but two military officials have said that the strike targeted a nearby police station. They spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to discuss the matter openly.
The war has killed more than 40,000 people, according to UN figures, but aid groups say that is an undercount and the true number could be many times higher.
The WHO has said that over 2,000 people have been killed in attacks on medical facilities since the start of the war.
“Enough blood has been spilled. Enough suffering has been inflicted. The time has come to de-escalate the conflict in Sudan,” said Ghebreyesus.
.@WHO has verified yet another attack on health care in #Sudan. This time, Al Deain Teaching Hospital in East Darfur’s capital, Al Deain, was struck, killing at least 64 people, including 13 children, two female nurses, one male doctor, and multiple patients.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 21, 2026
As a result of this… pic.twitter.com/RAwDR5YVjd
