A shocking incident at the Sainik School in Niglok, Arunachal Pradesh, has triggered outrage and grief after a 12-year-old cadet was found dead on campus under suspicious circumstances. The class 7 student’s death, initially reported as a suicide, has now taken a darker turn, with his sister alleging that he was subjected to brutal ragging and torture by senior students on the night before his death.
The victim, whose name has been withheld due to legal restrictions, was discovered dead within the school premises on November 1. His sister, Miss Arunachal 2024, Tadu Lunia, took to social media this week to demand justice, alleging that her brother’s death was the result of relentless bullying and abuse at the hands of senior cadets. “My brother did not just die by suicide — he was tortured and humiliated to the point of no return,” she said in an emotional Instagram video.
According to Lunia, several of her brother’s dormitory mates later confided in the family, revealing that a group of eight students from class 10 and three from class 8 allegedly entered the class 7 dormitory late at night on October 31. The seniors reportedly forced the juniors to cover their heads with blankets and singled out her brother, taking him to the class 10 dormitory. “No one knows what happened behind that closed door,” Lunia said, claiming that her brother was physically assaulted and mentally tortured for hours.
She further alleged that the bullying stemmed from a false accusation of theft over a missing book. “He was branded a thief and told that his humiliation would be recorded and shown during assembly,” she said. CCTV footage, she added, showed her brother walking anxiously around the dormitory early the next morning, before entering a classroom where he allegedly wrote a note.
“His last words were, ‘Seniors tortured me a lot, and I don’t know what I will do now,’” Lunia said, adding that her brother’s final moments reflected unbearable fear and distress. She also said her public visibility as a pageant winner may have intensified the harassment. “I never thought my name could become a burden in the final hours of his life,” she said tearfully.
The family has also raised questions over the handling of the case by school authorities and local police. They allege that the post-mortem examination report has been delayed and that there is a lack of urgency in pursuing justice. “We know the names of those involved. I fear that external interference might derail the investigation,” Lunia said, appealing for public support.
The Arunachal Pradesh Police confirmed that eight students have been detained in connection with the incident. They were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) in Pasighat and placed in the custody of the school’s vice-principal for seven days. Their guardians have been directed to provide undertakings under the Juvenile Justice Rules.
Officials stated that the case, originally registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for abetment of suicide, was later upgraded after the victim’s father filed an additional FIR alleging ragging and physical assault. “The investigation is ongoing to determine the exact circumstances leading to the cadet’s death,” the police said, adding that forensic and digital evidence, including CCTV footage, is being examined.
The tragic case has once again cast a spotlight on the culture of ragging and abuse in India’s residential institutions, particularly in military-style schools that emphasise strict discipline. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has reportedly sought a detailed report from the Arunachal Pradesh government.
As the probe continues, the family’s demand for justice grows louder. “My brother’s life was precious, and his voice will not be silenced,” Lunia said. “If this can happen in a Sainik School, then no parent can sleep peacefully.”
