A student of a private residential school in Karnataka’s Ballari allegedly attacked his hostel mates inside the dormitory on Saturday night, striking them with an iron rod and a sharp object while they were asleep. The assault left one student dead and injured seven others.
Police said seven students present in the dormitory were injured in the incident, with one of them in critical condition.
Ballari SP Suman D Pennekar said the accused, a minor, fled the campus after the attack and police teams are searching for him.
According to Pennekar, nine students aged between 12 and 15 were in the hostel when the incident occurred.
A police officer said the attack took place around 10 pm after dinner, when the students had gone to sleep in the dormitory. The minor allegedly pulled an iron rod from a bed frame and began attacking his sleeping hostel mates, causing panic. A Class 9 student died due to severe injuries. One of the injured remains critical, while the others are reported to be out of danger. The hostel warden was also hurt during the incident.
Police have registered a case against the minor and the school management. Pennekar said that during an inspection of the residential school, it was found that the CCTV cameras were not functioning. Authorities are also checking whether the school had the required approvals to operate both the school and the hostel.