A minor boy studying at a madrasa in Odisha’s Nayagarh district was allegedly murdered by his seniors after enduring repeated sexual abuse. Police have detained five juveniles in connection with the crime.
The victim, a minor who hailed from Cuttack district, was studying at a madrasa in Neelapalli. According to the complaint filed by his father, the boy was killed inside an abandoned bathroom on the madrasa campus. His body was later dumped into an unused septic tank, India Today reported.
According to the police, the boy had been subjected to repeated sexual assaults by a senior student. At around 1:00 PM on August 31, the victim was allegedly attacked by two students following yet another assault. The accused seniors left him inside the septic tank again, presuming him dead. However, he managed to escape that night.
But just two days later, the boy was once again lured to the same spot by two students who pretended they would help him. However, the two students, along with three others, allegedly overpowered and assaulted him again on September 2. They finally strangled him to death before discarding his body in the tank, the report said.
Police Investigation Underway, Case Filed
A forensic team collected evidence from the madrasa premises, while multiple witness accounts strengthened the case. Police confirmed that all five accused, aged between 12 and 15, have been taken into custody. During questioning, they confessed to their involvement.
The juveniles now face charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 as well as relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The madrasa administration has since removed the accused students’ names from its records and seized their birth certificates. The case has been placed before the Juvenile Justice Board, which will determine the next course of legal action. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
