A 12-year-old madrasa student in Nayagarh, Odisha, was sexually assaulted and strangled by five fellow students, aged 13-15, who dumped his body in a septic tank after he threatened to report the abuse.
CCTV footage and confessions revealed the main accused coerced the victim for months, with an earlier murder attempt on August 31 escalating to the fatal assault on September 2.
Police are working with the madrasa, which has 16 students, to enhance safety measures, while the victim’s family will receive legal support.
In Odisha’s Nayagarh district, a 12-year-old madrasa student was brutally murdered by fellow students after enduring sexual abuse, police revealed on Sunday. The investigation has led to the detention of five juveniles, aged 13 to 15, who have been sent to a juvenile detention centre in Angul.
According to Nayagarh Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Subash Chandra Panda, as cited by PTI, the victim was subjected to unnatural sex by two of the accused. When the boy threatened to report the abuse, the five juveniles allegedly strangled him to death and dumped his body in an abandoned septic tank near the madrasa. The boy was reported missing on September 2, and his body was discovered the following day.
According to CCTV footage played a crucial role in the investigation, showing the five detained students leading the victim to a secluded area where they were last seen together. During questioning, the juveniles confessed to the crime. The main accused, a 15-year-old, had allegedly been coercing the victim into an unnatural relationship for several months. Fearing humiliation, the victim had not reported the abuse to the madrasa authorities, police, or his family.
According to The Hindu, the sequence of events leading to the tragedy began on August 31, when the main accused attempted to kill the victim by throwing him into the septic tank. On September 2, the situation escalated. “On the fateful day, two of the children in conflict with law (CCL) sexually assaulted the boy. Accompanied by three others, they later strangled the victim and disposed of his body in the tank after he threatened to report the abuse,” ASP Panda said. The juveniles reportedly behaved normally after the crime to avoid suspicion.
The madrasa, which houses 16 students aged 12 to 15, three teaching staff, and a cook, is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. The victim had been enrolled in the institution since the previous year. Police have urged madrasas to prioritize student safety and well-being, and authorities have assured support for the victim’s family as per legal provisions. The madrasa authorities were unavailable for comment
