The drowning death of a 17-year-old student, Benson Chakma, has sent shockwaves through the Bagbasa area in North Tripura. 

The incident occurred yesterday late evening near Holy Cross School under the jurisdiction of Bagbasa Police Station, where Benson had recently been admitted to Class 11 and was residing in a private hostel for his studies.

The deceased, son of Bindu Chakma, hailed from Uttar Maasmara ADC Village. 

According to preliminary reports, the family was informed around 5 PM that Benson had drowned. However, his family has raised serious concerns over the timeline and handling of the incident by the hostel authorities.

Benson's sister, who lives in Dharmanagar and visited him weekly, along with other family members, alleged that the hostel authorities failed to take prompt action when the incident occurred. They claim that if immediate medical attention had been provided or if the family had been informed earlier, the tragedy might have been averted.

Police sources stated that they received information about the incident around 4:30 PM and promptly responded. Benson was initially rushed to Shanichhara Primary Health Centre, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. His body was later sent to Dharmanagar District Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The incident has sparked intense anger among the family, particularly Benson's sister and aunt, who have directly accused the hostel owner and his son of negligence. They allege a complete lack of supervision and accountability on the part of the hostel management, which they believe led to Benson’s untimely death.

The grieving family is demanding strict legal action against those responsible and has refused to allow the autopsy until arrests are made. “First, the culprits must be caught.