Ryan murder case: Police lathicharge parents demanding CBI probe, govt accepts negligence on school’s part

Hundreds of people staged a demonstration outside the Ryan International School in Gurgaon on Sunday demanding a CBI probe into the murder of a seven-year-old school boy and set afire a liquor shop near the school.

Police used batons to quell the protest and detained 20 protestors. Cameras of some photojournalists were also damaged during the protest.

Some of the demonstrators threw liquor bottles inside school premises to vent their ire against the school management, police said. The liquor shop is barely 50 metres away from the school.

They demanded that the school should be shut until a CBI probe is ordered into the incident.

“The Gurgaon Police had to use mild lathicharge to disperse the agitators. The police detained over 20 protestors found agitating outside the school,” Ravinder Kumar PRO Gurgaon Police said.

Live | Ryan murder case: Situation worsens as police lathicharge parents, locals torch liquor shop; father appeals for peace

The protestors alleged that school drivers and conductors often consume alcohol from the liquor shop in their free time.

Praduman Thakur was found murdered with his throat slit inside the toilet of Ryan International School on Friday, triggering public outrage.

Gurgaon Police arrested school bus conductor Ashok Kumar in connection with the case.

Kumar was inside the toilet, waiting for any student to come inside with the motive of sexual assault. The deceased was the first student who entered the toilet, the police said.

Not averse to ordering CBI probe: Haryana government

Meanwhile, the Haryana government said it was not averse to ordering a CBI probe into the killing of a seven-year-old boy at Ryan International School and has asked the Gurgaon Police to book the school owner under the Juvenile Justice Act.

Education minister Ram Bilas Sharma also said that there have been lapses on part of the school administration.

“We accept negligence on part of the Ryan International School but the school cannot be derecognised as the future of 1200 students is at stake,” Sharma said.

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“We have directed the Gurgaon Police to book the owner of Ryan International School, Albert Pinto under section 75 Juvenile Justice (care and punishment act) Act 15 for punishment for cruelty to child meted out by the custodian in the charge sheet to be submitted in the court within 7 days.

“Some loopholes in the security are visible in the case and the toilet window was also found broken from inside,” Sharma told PTI.

He said the charge sheet in the case will be ready within a week as police was speedily conducting the probe, but stressed that if the parents of the child insist on a probe by the CBI or any other agency the government will accede to their demand.

Talking to reporters here, Sharma also made it clear that school management has to take responsibility for the safety and security of children.

“We are issuing directives in this regard to all schools including private ones,” he said.

“We held a meeting today in which the demand to derecognise the school came up, but we also had to take into account the fact that 1200 students are studying there. The parents of students studying in this school were against this step and therefore we felt taking such a step will not be right,” he said.

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“However, any kind of lapse, by the management or the owner, against all of them we have initiated action,” he said.

The boy was found murdered with his throat slit in the school washroom in Gurgaon on Friday. The school’s acting principal was suspended and the security staff removed. The police claimed the student was killed by bus conductor Ashok Kumar, who tried to sexually abuse him.

The accused was arrested within hours of the murder after which a court in Gurgaon sent him to police custody for three days.

“The murder accused has already been arrested. Now, within a week, police after collecting all necessary evidence will submit a chargesheet in court. However, still if the parents are not satisfied, then Haryana government is ready to get the matter probed by any agency.

“I am hopeful that when we will produce the accused before court within a week with all evidences collected by the police, the parents of the child will be satisfied with the action being taken,” he said.

Sharma said, “We have fixed a seven-day deadline and in case where the accused is booked under Section 302 of IPC (for murder), this is the minimum time in such cases. However, if the child’s parents still feel they are not satisfied, then as per their wish we can get the case investigated by any agency including CBI”.

“We have full sympathy with the parents of the child. If any issue of providing financial help the Haryana government comes up will be willing to help,” he said.The minister made it clear that the Haryana government will not show any leniency in the matter. 

“Whatever strict action needs to be taken as per law will be taken in this case,” he asserted.

He also said a liquor vend near the school has been ordered to be shut down permanently.