40 school kids walk miles to meet Collector at midnight in Odisha; here’s why

Malkangiri: In what more could describe the sorry state of affairs in government-run schools in Odisha, 40 students of Tarlakota residential school under Korukonda block in Malkangiri district jumped over the boundary wall of the school hostel and walked miles to put forth their grievances before the district Collector.

Sources said the students were starving as the hostel authorities did not serve them food last night. With no option left, the hapless students decided to bring the matter to the notice of district Collector. The 40 hostel inmates jumped over the boundary and started waking in the dark to meet the district Collector, 25 km away from the hostel.

Some locals spotted the students and called up the police, who rushed to the spot and took the children back to the hostel in an auto-rickshaw. The cops also provided snacks to the children before dropping them at the hostel.

Later, the district welfare officer reached the spot and assured the locals that the matter will be investigated and action be taken accordingly.