Case registered against DPS World School over student’s death

Two days after the death of seven-year-old Ghazal Yadav, a class 2 student of Delhi Public World School in Greater Noida, the police on Friday registered a case of negligence against the school based on the parents’ complaint.

Two days after the death of seven-year-old Ghazal Yadav, a class 2 student of Delhi Public World School in Greater Noida, the police on Friday registered a case of negligence against the school based on the parents’ complaint.

Family members of the girl inside DPS World School on Thursday.

Lal Chand Yadav, the father of the deceased, alleged in the complaint that he had found the lips (of his daughter) swollen while performing the last rites. He had stated that his daughter had died due to the negligence of the school management and that he was not even explained the sequence of events that led to her death.

Ghazal died on January 31, soon after taking part in a karate competition. The parents of the Class 2 student alleged that she received injuries during the competition in the school and later died.

However, the school administration said the girl had complained of a severe headache and was taken to Kailash Hospital in Greater Noida.

Police have registered a case under Section 304A (causing death by negligence) of Indian Penal Code at Ecotech police station of Greater Noida. The police said that they have recorded the statements of the girl’s parents as well as the school administration.

Avdesh Awasthi, station house officer, Ecotech-3, said, “A case of negligence has been registered against the school. The investigation is in progress and we have not reached any conclusion.”

He said that the police and forensic teams have gathered necessary records, including CCTV footage and pictures from the school, to probe the incident thoroughly.

Earlier in the morning around 11am, Ghazal’s parents along with other residents of their society, Stellar Jeevan, reached DPS World School and asked them to show the CCTV footage of January 31. “I told them to show me the footage from that day but they had no reply. The girl had died inside the school and they are not ready to accept it,” Yadav said.

Yadav and a group of residents staged a sit-in at the school for almost three hours, seeking clarifications, which led to heated arguments among the staff and the parents.

He also said, “Inside the hospital, I was asked to sign a letter in which both the hospital and school had mentioned that I don’t want an investigation and post-mortem examination into the matter. I was not in a mental state to understand what the letter was about and I had signed it.”

Inside the school, the parents also questioned the school about its medical facility and about the non-functional cameras.

Jyoti Arora, the principal of the school, said, “The sports arena is newly constructed and CCTV cameras have not been installed yet. I showed them the pictures and videos of the Karate competition, though. There are 13 CCTV cameras in the school and all the footage has been showed to them. I have joined the investigation and it will clear everything.”