Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has issued a bailable arrest warrant against senior IAS officer and Principal Secretary of the ST & SC Development department, Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra.

The arrest warrant was issued for failing to comply with its orders in connection with a case related to the death of a seven-year-old girl, a student of a government residential school at Budrukia under Baliguda Block of Kandhamal district, over negligence of the authorities of the school under the ST & SC Development department.

After the news regarding the death of the minor girl student allegedly for negligence of local officials reported in the media, noted rights activist and advocate Prabir Kumar Das filed a plea with the OHRC seeking action against the erring officials responsible for the death of the minor student and financial compensation of Rs 10 lakhs for the deceased’s family members.

As per the OHRC order, the principal secretary of the ST & SC Development department failed to furnish the fact-finding report on the media reports in compliance with orders issued by the commission on 04.07.2024, 04.10.2024, 28.01.2025 and 22.04.2025. 

Following the non-compliance of the orders, the commission issued summon in to the ST/SC development department secretary on June 3, 2025 instructing him to appear before the Commission personally on July 4, 2025 but the Secretary to Government of Odisha, ST & SC Development Department didn’t turn up to comply the OHRC order. 

“Accordingly, Bailable Warrant of Arrest in the sum of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) with one solvent surety to the like amount, be issued against Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, IAS, Principal Secretary to Government of Odisha, ST & SC Development Department and the same be sent to the DCP, Bhubaneswar UPD for execution indicating in the warrant to remain present in person on 12.08.2025 at 11 A.M. and file show cause as to what actuated him not to comply the orders passed by this Commission,” reads the order.

The rights activist alleged that the deceased student was diagnosed with Malaria on June 25, 2024, during a routine check-up by a health team at her school hostel. On the next day, on June 26, 2024, when her body temperature increased, she was taken to a hospital at Baliguda, where the doctor declared her dead. 

A joint inquiry was conducted by the project administrator of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, the district welfare officer, and the sub-divisional medical officer in Baliguda into the cause of the student's death.

Later, the district administration, on the basis of the inquiry report, has reportedly suspended the Assistant Superintendent of the residential school and also transferred the hostel's matron for negligence. 

The Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) of Kandhamal was reportedly also instructed to issue a show cause notice to the Community Health Officer, who conducted the check-up but failed to get her tested for anaemia.

(IANS)