Rayagada: An eight-year-old Class-II student died and five students got injured in an attack by a swarm of honey bees while they were collecting mango leaves meant for Ganjesh Puja on Wednesday evening. The incident came to light on Thursday morning as the hostel authorities had reportedly tried to suppress the matter. The district administration has ordered a probe into the incident.

The deceased student has been identified as Debdas Toika, the injured students are identified as Srinu Mandangi, 7, Bikash Mandangi, 6, Nathan Mandangi, 9, Rohit Toika, 7, and Ashish Puala, 9.

At present, the students are undergoing treatment at the Rayagada District Headquarters Hospital and the condition of two of them is critical.

The students belong to Karubai Upgraded Primary School, situated about 40 kilometres away from Rayagada town. The school is run by the state's school and mass education department, while the students were staying at a 40-bed hostel managed by the tribal welfare department.

Around 5pm on Wednesday, the hostel authorities had asked at least 10 students to collect mango leaves and flowers from the nearby forest for Ganesh Puja. "While collecting mango leaves, the students came under the attack of honey bees and ran helter-skelter to escape from sting," a source said.

Though the students managed to reach the hostel, the hostel authorities didn't take them to any hospital for the fear of getting exposed. However, when one student succumbed to his injuries after midnight, the hostel authorities woke up to the situation and brought the five others to hospital on Thursday morning.

The district administration has ordered for a through probe into the incident.

"This is an unfortunate incident. A probe has been already started by the sub-collector to find out the circumstances in which the students went outside the hostel and who had asked them to go. Necessary action will be taken after getting the inquiry report," said collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, who visited the hospital to take stock of health of the injured students.

The family members of the deceased student have blamed the hostel authorities for the incident and demanded criminal proceedings against them.

"They have killed my son and should be booked for murder. Had they brought my son to hospital on time, he could have been saved," said Jogi Toika, mother of the Debdas.