Arunachal: Ragging allegations surface after Class 7 student found dead at Sainik School Niglok

Ragging allegations have emerged after a Class 7 student of Sainik School Niglok near Ruksin in East Siang District was found dead under alleged unnatural circumstances on Friday morning, prompting the registration of a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

According to reports, the Vice Principal of Sainik School Niglok informed Ruksin Police Station around 8 AM, stating that a student had allegedly died by suicide. Following the report, police registered an FIR and sent the body to Bakin Pertin General Hospital (BPGH), Pasighat, for post-mortem examination.

Authorities confirmed that the post-mortem will be conducted on November 2 in the presence of the student’s parents, who arrived this evening from Ziro in Lower Subansiri District. The family also visited the mortuary at BPGH around 9:50 PM to see the deceased.

Speaking to this scribe, East Siang Superintendent of Police (SP) Pankaj Lamba said, “It will be too early to disclose anything at this stage as the post-mortem has not yet been conducted. The examination of the dead body will take place once the parents of the deceased arrive.”

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The Officer-in-Charge of Ruksin Police Station has initiated a detailed investigation to ascertain the exact cause and circumstances of the death. The school authorities and police are maintaining close coordination with the family as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Meanwhile, the parents of the deceased student have alleged that their son was subjected to group ragging by senior hostel students. The boy’s father, Tadu Tani, who visited the school and hostel this evening to collect his son’s belongings, claimed that some Class 8 and Class 10 students were allegedly involved in the ragging, which might have driven the boy to his death.

The grieving mother broke down upon seeing her son’s body at the mortuary, while the family appealed to police for a thorough investigation. Members of the Apatani community residing in Pasighat also gathered at the hospital mortuary to extend support to the bereaved family.

According to the investigating officer, the boy’s body was discovered on the roof of a structure adjacent to an overhead water tank, located away from the hostel. The discovery came after the student was found missing during the morning PT session. Construction workers in the vicinity spotted the body and informed the authorities. Police sources further revealed that the overhead water tank had not yet been officially handed over to the school administration.

The investigation is ongoing, with police awaiting the post-mortem report to determine the next course of action.