One of Calcutta’s premier residential schools has decided to shut hostels for students of Classes V to X following the death of a Class XII student on Tuesday and his father’s demand for a police probe into alleged negligence.
Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur, has informed guardians of students in Classes V to X that “all Bhavanas will remain closed” from Sunday “until further notice”. Guardians have been asked to take their children home on Saturday. Classes will continue until Saturday.
Classes XI and XII remained suspended on Thursday. Sources said a separate notice on hostel accommodation for Plus II students was expected.
A notice issued by the school on Thursday said: “All guardians of students of Classes V to X are hereby informed that owing to unavoidable circumstances, all Bhavanas will remain closed with effect from Sunday, 5 July 2026, until further notice. Guardians are requested to kindly escort their wards home on Saturday, 4 July 2026, from 1.30pm onwards. Consequently, all classes for the time being will remain suspended until further notice.”
“The date for the students’ return to the Bhavanas will be communicated in due course,” the notice added.
Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and causing death by negligence based on a complaint lodged by Diptangshu Mahata’s father, Manaranjan.
Manaranjan, a lawyer at Calcutta High Court, has demanded a police probe into alleged negligence by the school authorities.
According to the complaint, Diptangshu drank hot tea directly from a flask around 7.55am on Tuesday and attended classes for about two hours. When he felt unwell, his friends took him to a doctor on the campus, his father said. As he was not feeling well enough to attend classes, he was reportedly excused by a house master.
Diptangshu’s friends alleged that he was not taken to a hospital until his father arrived on the campus. He was taken to a hospital by his father after 1pm.
Police sources said the preliminary post-mortem opinion had not established the cause of death.
“We have yet to receive the final post-mortem report. The preliminary opinion shared with us says no conclusion could be drawn on the cause of death. We will therefore rely on the viscera report,” an officer of Narendrapur police station said.
The school has suspended three house masters.
A Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya official said: “A police investigation is on. We are following police instructions and the guidance of Belur Math.”
Investigators have collected medical records from the doctors who examined Diptangshu.
An officer associated with the investigation said: “He was first examined by an in-house doctor. We have collected that medical report. He was then taken to a private hospital near Mahamayatala, where there are no formal records. After that, he was taken to another private hospital, where he was declared dead. We have collected the records from that hospital.”
Sources said the police had started questioning students, teachers and school staff who were among the first responders or had learnt of the incident early. Their statements are being recorded.
The police collected CCTV footage from the Narendrapur campus on Thursday.
“All possible angles are being probed. Hopefully, we will be able to reach a conclusion soon,” said Arvind Kumar Anand, superintendent of Baruipur police district.
Sources said the headmaster, Swami Ishteshananda, had left the campus and was at Belur Math.
According to Manaranjan, his son gulped down hot tea directly from a flask and later complained of pain and irritation in his throat.
“After attending classes for two hours, he complained of throat pain and irritation, and his friends took him to the doctor in the hostel. The doctor told him that unless an endoscopy was done, he would not be able to say anything. No treatment was done,” Manaranjan told Metro.
“I received a call from a house master a little after 11am. He told me my son had gulped down something hot and needed to be taken home,” he said.
Manaranjan reached the school around 12.45pm.
“I booked a car to take him to a hospital. But it was raining, and the car was taking longer than usual. Inside the car, he put his head on my shoulder and lost consciousness,” he said.
“I asked him why he gulped down the tea instead of spitting it out. He said he was scared of being punished... It is a case of complete negligence on the part of the school,” Manaranjan said.
The police have also received a complaint from Diptangshu’s classmates in Class XII, alleging negligence and carelessness by the house masters and the headmaster.
The school posted on its official social media page: “Diptangshu’s life was a luminous tapestry woven with threads of academic excellence and a fervent passion for learning. His heart, full of generosity, extended beyond the classroom to the sports field where he excelled and inspired. He epitomised the noble values and spirit of Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, standing as a beacon of hope and inspiration.”