Class 9 Student Kills One, Injures 7 in Ballari Hostel Attack

A Class 9 student at a private residential school in Ballari, Karnataka, allegedly attacked several classmates with an iron rod late Saturday night, killing one and injuring seven others, including the hostel warden, police reported Sunday.

The incident unfolded at the Gurukul Hostel attached to Gurukul International School on Talur Road in Ballari district. According to authorities, the attack occurred after dinner when the students were asleep. The accused, a minor, reportedly went on a rampage following a minor dispute, striking multiple peers randomly before fleeing the scene. Police described the assault as sudden and unprovoked in its intensity, with the victims under the supervision of a single warden at the time.

One student, a native of Andhra Pradesh, succumbed to severe injuries en route to the hospital. The remaining injured, comprising six classmates and the warden identified as Blessy, were rushed to the Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Sciences in Ballari for treatment. Medical officials stated that while some patients are stable, others remain in serious condition. The warden sustained injuries while attempting to intervene, police added.