New Delhi: The mysterious death of a 14-year-old girl in a boarding school in Imphal has created a sensation and public outrage in the north-eastern state.On July 24, a 24-hour shutdown was carried out in the state by a joint action committee (JAC) seeking justice for the teenage school girl, demanding prompt police action against those behind her death. The next day, the state government announced that it had decided to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).“After thorough discussions, the state home department has decided to hand over the unfortunate incident of Babysana’s case…to CBI for investigation,” chief minister N. Biren Singh wrote on his Facebook page on January 25.The girl, N. Babysana, was a student of the Standard Robarth Higher Secondary School in Canchipur area of Imphal West district. Her body was found hanging at a dormitory of the residential school on July 18. Though initially, it was taken to be a case of suicide, her family members alleged murder, arguing that a suicide could not have been possible in a dormitory with 37 boarders. They refused to take the body home.Also Read: Without Safety for Women, India’s Development Dreams Cannot Be AchievedLocal clubs, women’s organisations civil society bodies and students’ organisations came together to hold a series of meetings in Thamgmeiband Maisnam Leikai in Imphal West district, where her family resides. They demanded speedy investigation into the matter and the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) for the purpose. Holding banners and placards, many women also participated in a sit-in dharna on July 28 at a market place in Thoubal.Her body has been lying at the morgue of the government-owned Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS). So far, two post mortems have been conducted, one of which included a doctor chosen by the JAC and her family. Both the reports have broadly termed the cause of death due to hanging.Speaking at a public meeting in Imphal on July 28, the girl’s uncle, N. Kumar, however, said, “The attitude of the school authority made us suspicious about the incident and I felt that something fishy is going on.”Following pressure from various organisations, including the All Manipur Students’ Union, the two hostel wardens were taken into custody and sent to 14-days judicial remand. While they were arrest after a local court on July 20 refused to give anticipatory bail, the principal and the administrator were granted interim bail.