Class 4 boy chained to hostel bed in Odisha sparks outrage, school under scrutiny

A class 4 student was found chained to a bed in a government-run hostel in Odisha’s Balasore district, triggering widespread outrage after a video of the incident surfaced. The boy, reportedly around 8 years old, was seen restrained by the leg with an iron shackle inside the hostel under Nilagiri block.

According to the school authorities, the child was chained to prevent him from repeatedly fleeing to his home without permission. The incident took place at the government UP school in Begunia. Some reports suggest the boy had allegedly been kept chained for nearly 10 days. The video was recorded by a visiting teacher, who later shared it with officials.

Headmaster Raghunath Bugudai defended the move, claiming the restraint was used only for a day and with the knowledge of the child’s father. He stated that the father had brought the boy back to the hostel and asked staff to restrain him because he was “mischievous” and often tried to escape.

Following public outrage, a probe has been initiated. Nilagiri sub-collector Madhusmita Samantaray visited the school on Thursday and recorded statements from the headmaster, staff, and the child. She said accountability rests with the institution’s authorities and necessary action will be taken. Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi has also alerted the district collector and sought an inquiry.