By: Express News ServiceBengaluru | October 9, 2025 07:54 PM IST 2 min readVenkat Raja, Deputy Commissioner, Kodagu, visited the school hostel and told the media that the fire might have been caused by a short circuit.A fire at a residential school in Karnataka’s Kodagu district claimed the life of a seven-year-old boy early on Thursday morning, the police said.The boy, Pushpak, a Class 2 student from Chettimani village, had returned to Har Mandir School at Katakeri in Madikeri taluk just two days earlier after Dasara holidays, along with 52 other students. He was the son of Anil Kumar, who is a farmer, and Triveni. His sister Sinchana studies in Class 6 at the school.According to the police, a staffer staying at the school hostel noticed the fire and alerted others after thick smoke began filling the building at around 4 am. School staff, including the warden, quickly evacuated the students to safety.While the staff assumed that all the students had been rescued, they found during a headcount that one student was missing, and he was Pushpak. The school staff and fire department officials searched for the boy but found his body only after the blaze was brought under control.Venkat Raja, Deputy Commissioner, Kodagu, visited the school hostel and told the media that the fire might have been caused by a short circuit.“An investigation will be conducted. We will also check the safety guidelines and permits that the school has. We will also send a report to the Government seeking compensation for the victim’s family,” he added.A teacher who spoke to the media said that of the 102 students at the school, 72 had opted for boarding facilities. “The school has been running for the past six years. We suspect a short circuit may have occurred due to lightning,” he added.Story continues below this adTriveni said that it was Pushpak who insisted that he join his sister’s school. “We were shocked to know about the incident. He was very active and doing well in sports and studies,” his mother added.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Karnataka