Balasore: Tension ran high in the district headquarters hospital here on Monday night after a 13-year-old boy, who was an inmate of a residential school in Sahadevkhuntia area, died while undergoing treatment for head injury and brain haemorrhage.

The deceased has been identified as Santosh Mallick, son of Shankar Mallick of Tapaswi village in Balasore Sadar police station area.

He was found unconscious underneath a berry tree on Monday evening, after frantic searches were made to locate him as he was absent in the evening prayer, said the school authorities.

They suspect that he might have climbed the berry tree to pluck berries and might have fallen off the tree accidentally.

On the other hand, the kid's parents cried foul and suspected that their ward was killed by someone in the school.

Following the incident, senior officials, including district collector, chief district medical officer and police officer went to the hospital to defuse tension. The administration provided an ex-gratia assistance of Rs 20,000 to the bereaved family members from district Red Cross funds.

He was found underneath a black berry tree with injury marks on the right side of his head. The school rushed him to the district headquarters hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries around 10pm .

"I suspect the school authorities' hand in murdering my child. I reached the school to bring my son's body home on Tuesday morning, but the school caretaker did not allow me," said the deceased's mother Kanak Mallick.# District collector Ramesh Chandra Rout said an inquiry would be conducted by the district child welfare committee.

"Preliminary inquiry suggests that he had fallen off the jamun tree. But a detailed probe would be conducted to ascertain the circumstances that led to his death. Action will be taken if anyone is found guilty," said Rout .