Bhubaneswar: As many 26 SC and ST boarders died in the Odisha government-run hostels since July 1, 2024, of whom six were suicide victims.
Replying to a question of senior BJD member Ranendra Pratap Swain, Minister for ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare (ST & SC Development, M&BCW) in the Assembly, Nityananda Gond said six of them died by suicide in the hostels while the remaining 20 lost their lives while undergoing treatment in various hospitals.
As per the minister’s reply, the deaths were reported in 14 districts of the state.
Rayagada district reported the maximum number of deaths at seven, while three such cases came to be known from Koraput and Malkangiri districts each.
The districts of Sundargarh and Bargarh accounted for two such deaths during the period.
Besides, Bolangir, Ganjam, Jharsuguda, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh, Nuapada and Subarnapur districts reported one such death case each, Gond said.
