Itanagar: Fresh revelations have surfaced over the death of a 12-year-old Class 7 student from Sainik School, Niglok, in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Siang district, after his sister—Miss Arunachal 2024, Tadu Lunia—alleged that senior students subjected him to extreme bullying and torture prior to his death. The boy was found dead inside the school premises on November 1.
In an emotional video shared on Instagram on November 5, Lunia said the family was initially told that the child had died by suicide. However, she claimed several of his dormitory mates revealed disturbing details suggesting he had been tormented by senior students in the hours leading up to his death.
According to her account, on the night of October 31, around eight Class 10 students and three from Class 8 allegedly entered the Class 7 dormitory after 11 p.m., when no staff were on duty. The seniors reportedly forced the juniors to cover their heads with blankets before taking her brother to the Class 10 dormitory. “No one knows what happened behind that closed door,” Lunia said, alleging that her brother was “harassed mentally and physically throughout the night.”
She further claimed that her brother had been branded a “thief” over a missing book and threatened with public humiliation during the school assembly. CCTV footage reviewed by investigators allegedly showed the boy walking nervously around 5:45 a.m. before entering a classroom, where he appeared to write a note. “His last words were, ‘Seniors tortured me a lot, and I don’t know what I will do now,’” Lunia revealed.
Breaking down in her video, Lunia expressed anguish that her fame may have indirectly made him a target. “I never thought my name could become a burden in the final hours of his life,” she said. She also voiced frustration over the delay in the post-mortem report and what she described as a lack of urgency in the investigation. “We know the names of those involved. I fear external interference may affect justice,” she added, urging the public to support her family’s demand for accountability.
Police have detained eight students in connection with the case and produced them before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in Pasighat on Tuesday. The board placed them under the custody of the school’s vice-principal for seven days, while guardians were directed to submit undertakings under the Juvenile Justice Rules.
Authorities confirmed that the case, initially filed at Ruksin Police Station under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), was reclassified after the victim’s father lodged an additional FIR on November 3, alleging ragging and assault by senior students.
Police said a comprehensive investigation is underway to uncover the full circumstances behind the tragedy and assured that the inquiry will reach a “fair and logical conclusion.”
