The father of the seven-year-old boy who was found with his throat slit inside Ryan International School in Gurugram on Friday has sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the case even as the Haryana government said it is not averse to the idea.
Varun Thakur said he trusts the police but a CBI investigation would give justice, and would force schools to take proper measures to prevent such incidents in the future. “There could be a conspiracy as it looks like the murderer was well-prepared to commit the crime...it looks like a repercussion of an earlier incident,” News 18 quoted Thakur as saying. Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also demanded a CBI probe.
Thakur also appealed to parents, protesting against his son’s murder, to avoid resorting to acts of violence.
Juvenile Justice Act against school management
The Gurugram Police have registered a case against the management of Ryan International School under Sections 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 12 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Gurugram Police Commissioner Sandeep Khirwar said more sections may be added or dropped as investigation progresses. “The role of various persons in the school management will be probed with regard to some glaring negligence”.
Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said action was taken against the management and the owner of the school, and added that the police will submit the charge-sheet in court within a week, PTI reported. “However, if the parents are not satisfied, then the Haryana government is ready to get the matter investigated by any agency.”
Sharma added that there were lapses on part of the school administration, “but the school cannot be de-recognised as the future of 1,200 students is at stake”.
Agitation turns violent
Parents on Sunday continued to protest outside Ryan International School. Locals who joined the agitation set ablaze a liquor shop near the school. The angry parents also broke the school’s window panes during the protests, and the police resorted to baton charge to quell the protests.
Various media personnel were also injured in the attack, following which political leaders condemned the police action. Union Minister R Athawale said laws must be made to protect journalists and the government must help them. “I appeal to all states to make such laws. I will talk to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar”.
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the media, which has its own role in a democracy, should not be suppressed. “The attack is [an] attempt of [the] government to hide its failure.”
Communist Party of India’s National Secretary D Raja said, “Haryana Police [are] gaining notoriety of attacking media,” Raja said. “It happened even during Dera agitation”. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala demanded an apology from Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and said the government must take action against policemen responsible for the attack.
The case
The Class 2 student, Pradyuman Thakur, was found with his throat slit in the school toilet on Friday morning. The school bus conductor was arrested later that day for allegedly trying to sexually assault the boy before attacking him.
A special committee is investigating the murder. Besides this, the Central Board of Secondary Education asked the school to send it a report in two days along with a copy of the FIR that was filed. The board has also set up a two-member fact finding committee to investigate the case.
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