KISS Murder: Eight Officials Held After Student Strangled To Death By 'Joker Gang'; CPC Seeks Report On Negligence
Police said the minor student at KISS was murdered but the institute's authorities allegedly tried to pass it off as natural death.
Published : December 18, 2025 at 1:21 PM IST
Bhubaneswar: Police have arrested eight officials, including teachers, of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar in connection with the death of a tribal minor student, who was allegedly murdered inside the campus last week. Shockingly, authorities had initially projected it as natural death as a cover-up, police revealed.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday evening, Twin City Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Dutta Singh said the Class-9 student was murdered inside the KISS school campus, and the incident was initially projected as a natural death. He said the post-mortem report revealed that the child died due to strangulation.
"The child died at KISS on December 12. His family later filed a complaint alleging murder after noticing marks on his neck," Singh said. Based on the complaint, police first registered a zero FIR in Keonjhar, which was later transferred to Infocity police station in Bhubaneswar.
The Police Commissioner said the KISS authorities, without informing the local police, handed over the body to the family, claiming the student had died of a heart attack. "This was a serious lapse. After the post-mortem report showed neck injury marks, we registered a case on December 13 and began a detailed investigation," he said.
During questioning, police found that a group of students had formed a gang called 'Joker Gang'. Three students confessed to the crime, and they have been sent to juvenile home.
"After collecting all facts and evidence, it was clear that this was a murder case," Singh said. He added that eight KISS officials, including the additional Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and a supervisor, were arrested.
According to police, the incident was a fallout of a scuffle among students on December 12 after a pot fell inside the hostel. Later, the victim student was beaten up in the bathroom by his classmates and strangled to death.
However, attempts were made by the institute authorities to cover up the incident, police said. The family alleged that the authorities asked them to sign some papers, and when they questioned the injury mark on the neck, no clear explanation was given from the authorities.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR), Babita Patra, reached KISS with a five-member team for an investigation as to why the KISS authorities hid the incident.
The Child Protection Committee (CPC) monitored the situation at KISS for one and a half hours. "The incident occurred under mysterious circumstances. An investigation is on to find out how the child's body was given to the family without a post-mortem. A detailed report has been sought from the school authorities. Action will be taken for negligence," said Babita Patra.
Read More
