Death Threat Banner Against Siddhartha Degree College Principal Prompts Police Probe

Happy Paikmal | Subarnapur

Incident reported: 14 October 2026 | Research checked: 4 November 2026

BINKA: Police began an investigation after a cloth banner carrying a death threat against the principal of Siddhartha Degree College was discovered near the institution’s main gate in Binka, also known as Binika, in Odisha’s Subarnapur district on 14 October 2026, according to published news reports.

The incident was reported during campaigning for student union elections. The message warned the principal against involvement in the electoral process and accused him of favouring a particular group. That accusation was part of the threatening message and has not been established as fact.

College staff raised the alarm

OdishaBytes reported that staff noticed the white cloth banner in the morning and alerted Principal Dhirendra Nayak. A complaint brought police to the campus, where the banner was seized and personnel were deployed as a precaution to maintain order.

The discovery caused tension at the college ahead of the polls. The initial coverage did not identify the person or people who put up the message.

Principal denies favouring any group

Prameya News reported that Nayak rejected the allegation of favouritism. He said the institution was conducting the student union elections under government rules and the prescribed code of conduct.

His response is an important part of the account: the allegation on the cloth cannot be treated as evidence of electoral misconduct.

Pragativadi separately reported that Nayak informed Binka police and senior district officials in writing. It said he suspected possible involvement by outsiders while describing the general atmosphere among students as peaceful. That suspicion was his stated view, rather than an established investigative finding.

Investigation into authorship and motive

Pragativadi’s account said the local police station’s Inspector-in-Charge confirmed an investigation to identify those responsible. The authorship of the threat and its precise motive remained unresolved in the initial reporting.

Although the message referred to student elections, the reviewed coverage does not establish responsibility by any student organisation, candidate or political party. No group should be identified as responsible on that basis alone.

What is known about the college

The institution’s official website identifies it as Siddhartha Degree College, Binka, in Subarnapur district. It says the college has functioned since 1992 and offers undergraduate education in Arts.

The location is variously described as Binka or Binika in news reports, while the district is also referred to as Sonepur or Sonpur.

Status of this account

This article summarises reporting published on 14 October, rather than announcing a new incident on 4 November. A search for follow-up coverage did not locate a verified later arrest or final investigative finding. That does not establish that no subsequent development has occurred.

Reports also differ on the scheduled polling day, so this account does not assign a definite election date. Any further update should be checked against a direct police statement or official college communication.

Sources

1. OdishaBytes, 14 October 2026: https://odishabytes.com/death-threat-to-college-principal-ahead-of-student-union-polls-in-odisha/
2. Pragativadi, 14 October 2026: https://pragativadi.com/death-threat-banner-against-sonpur-college-principal-sparks-police-probe/
3. Prameya News, 14 October 2026: https://www.prameyanews.com/student-polls-college-principal-allegedly-receives-death-threat
4. OMMCOM News, 14 October 2026: https://ommcomnews.com/odisha-news/death-threat-to-binika-college-principal-ahead-of-student-union-polls/
5. Siddhartha Degree College, official website: https://siddharthadegreecollege.org/