Dhanbad: A Class 10 student was allegedly tied up and brutally beaten with belts by five classmates over a dispute involving a money transfer at the hostel of PM SHRI Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Benagaria, Nirsa block, Dhanbad. The accused also allegedly recorded a video of the assault and threatened the victim against reporting the incident.The victim, a resident of Nagarkyari village in Govindpur, is undergoing treatment at Shaheed Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital, Dhanbad.According to the victim, the incident took place late on Tuesday night after an argument over transferring money through a mobile phone. The dispute escalated when the five students allegedly tied his hands with a rope and repeatedly assaulted him with belts.Despite sustaining injuries, the student remained silent for two days and reportedly sought painkillers from the school nurse without revealing what happened.His condition, however, worsened on Thursday morning. He then contacted his father using another person’s phone and narrated the incident. His family rushed to the school, from where he was taken to the Pandra Sub-Health Centre before being referred to SNMMCH due to the severity of his injuries.The school administration said an inquiry committee was constituted to investigate the incident and assured strict disciplinary action against any student found guilty.Officials maintained that the campus has adequate security and CCTV surveillance, though cameras have not been installed in certain private areas to protect students’ privacy.District education officer (DEO) Abhishek Jha said a detailed report was sought from the school. “An investigation will examine how the incident occurred inside the hostel and whether there was any lapse on the part of the staff. Appropriate action will be taken against anyone found responsible,” he said.
