A 12-year-old cadet’s death at Sainik School Niglok has stirred deep concern in Arunachal Pradesh, with police examining allegations that the Class 7 student was subjected to sustained bullying by senior boys before he was found dead on November 1.
The incident, reported from East Siang district, has gained fresh urgency after his sister, Tadu Lunia, posted an account on Instagram on November 5 alleging that the circumstances surrounding her brother’s death were far more disturbing than the initial information given to the family.
Authorities had earlier informed the family that the boy died by suicide. Lunia said dormitory mates later recounted events leading up to the tragedy, pointing to a night of intimidation and harassment allegedly carried out by older cadets.
According to the account she shared, eight Class 10 students and three Class 8 students allegedly entered the Class 7 dormitory late on October 31, when no supervising staff were present. The seniors purportedly forced younger boys to cover their heads with blankets and took her brother away to the Class 10 dormitory.
Lunia alleged that her brother was branded a “thief” over a missing book and threatened with public humiliation during the morning assembly. CCTV footage reviewed by investigators reportedly showed the child pacing anxiously around 5.45 a.m. the next day, before entering a classroom where he appeared to write a final note. “His last words were, ‘Seniors tortured me a lot, and I don’t know what I will do now,’” she said.
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Her statement also conveyed frustration with the handling of the inquiry. She questioned delays in the post-mortem report and expressed concern about possible outside influence on the investigation. “We know the names of those involved. I fear external interference may affect justice,” she said, urging the public and authorities to ensure accountability.
Following the family’s Additional FIR on November 3, alleging ragging by senior students, the police reclassified the case, which was initially registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police said a detailed investigation is underway to establish the full sequence of events and assured that the matter would reach a “fair and logical conclusion”.
Eight students were detained and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in Pasighat on Tuesday. The Board placed them in the custody of the school’s vice-principal for seven days and directed their guardians to file undertakings under the Juvenile Justice Rules.
The death has prompted renewed scrutiny of supervision norms in residential schools and the risks posed by power hierarchies among cadets. For the family, however, the immediate concern remains the search for clarity and justice over the boy’s final hours.
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