Headmaster Suspended After School Van Accident Claims Student’s Life in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has suspended the headmaster of Malaviharapur High School in Banki following a tragic school van accident that claimed the life of a student and left several others injured. The action against Kanhu Charan Sahoo was taken by the School and Mass Education Department for dereliction of duty.

In a statement, the department announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh to the family of the deceased student, Soumya Ranjan Behera, and ₹30,000 to each of the injured students.

The incident occurred when a pickup van, carrying approximately 25 students to a parade ground, lost control and overturned near Ansupa Lake in Banki. The students were initially rushed to Athagarh hospital, and six critically injured students were later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Unfortunately, Soumya Ranjan succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.

The state government has ordered a Collector-level inquiry into the incident to determine the cause and fix accountability. Shalini Pandit, Commissioner-Cum-Secretary of the School and Mass Education Department, visited the injured students at SCB Medical College to check on their condition, which is reportedly stable.

The headmaster’s decision to send students in a pickup van without written permission has been deemed a serious lapse in judgment. The District Education Officer (DEO) had earlier recommended Sahoo’s suspension, citing the violation of protocol.

In light of the tragedy, the School and Mass Education Department has directed all schools to implement stricter safety measures for student transportation to prevent similar incidents in the future.