“We know the names of those involved”: Sister seeks justice after Sainik School student’s death

Fresh claims have emerged over the death of a 12-year-old Class 7 student from Sainik School, Niglok, in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Siang district, after his sister alleged that senior students subjected him to severe bullying and torture before his death. The boy was found dead within the school premises on November 1.

The victim’s sister, Miss Arunachal 2024, Tadu Lunia, shared a video on Instagram on November 5, stating that the family was initially informed that the boy had died by suicide. However, she said that several of his dormitory mates described a series of events that may have pushed him to take the drastic step.

According to Lunia, cadets informed the family that on the night of October 31, a group of eight Class 10 students and three from Class 8 allegedly entered the Class 7 dormitory after 11 pm, when no supervising staff were present. The seniors reportedly forced the juniors to cover their heads with blankets and then took her brother to the Class 10 dormitory.

“No one knows what happened behind that closed door,” Lunia said, adding that eyewitnesses claimed her brother was “harassed mentally and physically throughout the night.” She alleged that the boy had been branded a “thief” over a missing book and was threatened with public humiliation during the school assembly.

Lunia also claimed that CCTV footage reviewed by investigators showed her brother pacing anxiously around 5.45 a.m. before entering a classroom, where he appeared to write a final note. “His last words were, ‘Seniors tortured me a lot, and I don’t know what I will do now,’” she said.

Expressing grief, she added, “I never thought my name could become a burden in the final hours of his life,” suggesting that her public profile may have made him a target for bullying. Lunia further voiced frustration over the delay in the post-mortem report and alleged a lack of urgency in the investigation. “We know the names of those involved. I fear external interference may affect justice,” she said, urging support so that “no other family suffers the same fate.”

Police confirmed that eight students have been detained in connection with the case and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in Pasighat on Tuesday. The board placed them in the custody of the school’s vice-principal for seven days, with guardians directed to submit undertakings under the Juvenile Justice Rules.

Authorities said the case, originally registered at Ruksin Police Station under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), was reclassified after the victim’s father lodged an additional FIR on November 3, alleging ragging by senior students.

The police stated that a full investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the student’s death and promised a “fair and logical conclusion.”