Bhubaneswar: A Class 3 student, who fell unconscious after a scuffle with his classmates, was reportedly left locked inside the classroom due to the carelessness of the teachers in Betnoti area of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha yesterday.

Krushnachandra Mohanty, son of Basant Mohanty of Saitapur, was later rescued by the villagers, sources said.

Krushnachandra, a student of Government Upper Primary School at Kuradhika under Betnoti block, fell unconscious when a few of his classmates beat him up inside the classroom yesterday. He reportedly suffered injuries in his nose, sources said,

The teachers of the school, who were unaware of the incident, reportedly locked the classroom and the main gate at 4.10 pm before leaving for their homes, sources said.

Krushnachandra’s parents launched a frantic search for him as he did not return home after the school hours. Upon being contacted, headmaster Chintamani Mohanty reportedly told the boy’s parents that all students had left for their homes at 4 pm.

However, Krushnachandra managed to come out of the classroom soon after he regained his consciousness. A few passersby spotted Krushnachandra while he was crying inside the school campus, sources said.

The boy was later rescued by the villagers and rushed to the Community Health Centre (CHC) at Betnoti.

Krushnachandra’s father has lodged a complaint in this regard with Betnoti Block Education Officer (BEO) and Baisinga police.

“We have questioned the headmaster and other teachers of the school in connection with the incident,” said an official of Baisinga police.