India, March 9 -- Caste-related tensions between upper and lower caste people in a village of Odisha's Nayagarh district kept a government primary school shut for more than a month after the death of a Class V student, with the district administration finally reopening the campus on Monday amid heavy police deployment.

The Belpada Patana Primary School under Gania block of Nayagarh district had remained locked for 34 days after the death of Bholanath Nayak, a Class V student, triggering protests by his family members and villagers. The situation was further complicated by a dispute between upper-caste and lower-caste groups over whether the school should be reopened for examinations.

On Monday morning, Nayagarh Collector Madhumita Rath ...