Boy found dead in school toilet

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, September 8

A seven-year-old Class II student of Ryan International, Bhondsi, was today found in a pool of blood inside a school toilet, his throat slit. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared “brought dead”. The school authorities then informed the police, which arrested school bus conductor Ashok Kumar. Sources claimed the boy had been sexually assaulted.

Shocked, the parents’ association questioned the school on the conductor’s access to toilets meant for students. Some of them ransacked school property and additional police had to be called.

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“Having dropped my son and daughter to school, I had just returned home when I got a call. I was told my son was bleeding from the mouth and had been hospitalised. On reaching the hospital, I was told he was dead. His throat slit, he had bled to death. My son was murdered in cold blood,” said the aggrieved father.

Officiating Commissioner of Police Simardeep Singh reached the spot with a forensic team. “The left ear and the throat bear marks of injuries of a serious nature. We are studying the CCTV footage,” said an investigating official. Sources claimed of the 16 CCTV cameras, one outside the toilet was not functional.

“I was taking a class when three teachers came rushing to inform me that a child had collapsed. Wasting no time, we took him to hospital but he could not be saved. We are in shock too. No sharp-edged article is allowed inside the school,” said the officiating principal. 

However, the deceased’s family accused the school of negligence. “He was not hurt while playing or in a scuffle with fellow students. It was a brutal murder which was premeditated. When schools become murder sites, surely they are negligent. Why did they mislead me on the phone, claiming my son was bleeding from the mouth?” asked the father. “It was his friend’s birthday today and he was in a hurry to reach school, saying he would get lots of toffees. Those responsible for my son’s death must not go unpunished,” said the wailing mother.

School in dock

New Delhi: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has recommended a case of negligence against the school management. “We have told the police that a case of negligence be registered against the school management as we have found the school did not undertake police verification of its teaching and non-teaching staff,” said Priyank Kanoongo, member, RTE & Education, NCPCR. — PTI