A disturbing incident at a residential girls’ school hostel in Andhra Pradesh has raised questions over student safety after the braids of 10 Class 9 students were found cut while they were sleeping.

The incident took place at the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) hostel in Krishnapuram, in the Bheemunipatnam area of Visakhapatnam district. According to reports, the incident occurred during the night of September 16 and came to light after the students woke up and discovered that their hair had been cut.

The affected students were staying in two rooms. Six girls were sleeping in one room, while four were in another. The hostel accommodates several Class 9 students, making the incident particularly concerning for parents and school authorities.

Initial Fear of an Outsider

When the students reported what had happened, initial suspicion focused on the possibility that an outsider had entered the residential campus during the night.

However, preliminary inquiries have not established that an outsider entered the hostel. Authorities are examining the possibility that the incident could have involved students from within the institution.

Police are collecting statements and reviewing available CCTV footage to determine exactly what happened and identify those responsible. Investigators have not yet publicly established a final motive or confirmed who cut the students’ hair.

Officials Begin Investigation

Following the incident, local officials and police visited the school and spoke with students, parents and staff.

Bheemunipatnam MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao also visited the institution and sought details about the incident. Officials said the matter requires a detailed investigation because the students were inside a residential facility under institutional supervision.

The investigation is focusing on the movements inside the hostel during the night, CCTV footage, statements from students and staff, and the security arrangements in place at the time.

Show-Cause Notices Issued

The incident has also resulted in administrative action.

Education authorities issued show-cause notices to four people, including the school principal, teachers who were on duty and the woman responsible for night-time security, seeking explanations regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident and hostel supervision.

The notices do not by themselves establish negligence or responsibility. The authorities are expected to consider the explanations as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Counselling Provided to Students

The incident has caused anxiety among the affected students, prompting authorities to arrange counselling.

For students living away from their families in a residential school, a security incident occurring while they are asleep can have an additional psychological impact. Authorities are therefore examining not only the circumstances of the hair-cutting incident but also the students’ immediate safety and well-being.

CCTV and Statements May Hold Key Evidence

The investigation now depends heavily on available CCTV footage and statements from people staying or working at the hostel.

Investigators are expected to establish whether anyone entered the rooms during the relevant period, whether the students or other residents noticed unusual activity, and whether the incident involved someone from outside the campus or the school community.

At present, the circumstances remain under investigation, and no final conclusion about the identity or motive of the person responsible has been officially established.

The incident has nevertheless brought renewed attention to security arrangements at residential schools, particularly facilities where young students stay overnight under institutional supervision.