Bodies of two missing Chhaygaon schoolboys recovered from Kharkhari River

Boko, Sept 24: A tragic incident has cast a pall of gloom over Chhaygaon’s Rihabari area as two school students reportedly drowned in the Kharkhari river, with their bodies recovered separately after two days of frantic search operations.

According to local allegations, the shocking incident occurred owing to the negligence on the part of the school authorities. The victims were students of a private institution, Sacred Vineyard Bereand Academy, located at Rihabari in Chhaygaon.

Reports said that the boys went missing two days ago (last Sunday) after they went to bathe in the Kharkhari river from their hostel. Their disappearance created tension among their parents and the locals until the tragic recovery of their mortal remains.

The first body, identified as that of Surjyoraj Das, a Class X student hailing from Satabari in Chhaygaon, was recovered from the Kharkhari river at Payaranga in Boko. Later, the body of Nilkamal Kalita, a Class IX student belonging to Dakuwapara No. 2 under Boko police station, was retrieved from the Kharkhari river at Jambari in Chhaygaon.

Both students were hostel boarders of the Academy. The incident has triggered widespread outrage, with parents and residents demanding accountability from the school management for allowing the students to bathe in the river unsupervised.

Officer-in-Charge of Chhaygaon police station, Kamakhya Mishra, informed that the police investigation is still ongoing and a case has been registered at Chhaygaon PS in connection with the incident. Mishra further stated that there has been considerable negligence on the part of the school authorities, as the required safety measures for students were not in place.

Following the incident, local residents have urged the district administration, the Co-District Commissioner and the police to inspect the infrastructure and safety arrangements of private schools and hostels in the Boko-Chhaygaon area.