‘Inhumane conditions’: Tribal students walk 20 km overnight to expose hostel neglect

Over 100 tribal students from a state-run residential school in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district embarked on a determined overnight march, covering nearly 20 km on foot to the district headquarters in Baripada.

Their protest was a direct response to the alleged “inhumane” conditions at their hostel, which included being served poor-quality food and enduring physical assault by teachers. 

The students, primarily from Classes VIII and IX at Basipitha Government High School — managed by the Scheduled Tribes & Scheduled Castes (ST & SC) Development, Minorities & Backward Class Welfare Department — reached Baripada by early morning, as reported by PTI.

Upon learning of the protest, District Collector Hema Kanta Say, an experienced administrative officer, promptly met the students to listen to their grievances. Following this engagement, Say personally visited the school to investigate the allegations further.

In addition, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Netrananda Mallick, a senior officer in the district administration, confirmed that the students’ concerns were genuine and assured that appropriate measures would be implemented to rectify the situation, as reported by PTI.

The students’ courageous walk seems to have been a plea for accountability within the school system. In light of the protest, the district administration arranged a bus to safely return the students to their hostel, signalling a commitment to address the ongoing issues and improve living conditions at the institution.