Bhubaneswar, Feb. 4 -- The mutilated body of a 10-year-old Class V student, who had gone missing a day earlier, was recovered from an abandoned well in Belapada village under Gania police station limits in Nayagarh district on Wednesday morning, triggering widespread outrage in the area.

The deceased has been identified as the son of Bijay Mallik, a student of the local primary school. According to family members, the child went missing on Tuesday afternoon after returning home from school. He reportedly stepped out after the midday meal, saying he was going for a washroom break, but failed to return. A search was launched by the family and villagers, which continued through the night.

The body was discovered early Wednesday inside an u...