U.P. Sainik school student’s death: Swimming coach among four sacked, one suspended

Those sacked are swimming coach Satya Chauhan, lifeguard Brijesh Sharma, gatekeeper Ram Pal and students’ aid Balram Pandey

Three days after a class 11 student of Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey UP Sainik School here was found dead in the school’s swimming pool, the school administration on Monday sacked four of its staff members, three of them contractual, and suspended one until the investigation into the case was completed.

The boy Om Budholiya was found dead on September 8. (For Rep)

Those sacked are swimming coach Satya Chauhan, lifeguard Brijesh Sharma, gatekeeper Ram Pal and students’ aid Balram Pandey. The school administration suspended house matron Rajeev Kumar. The action came after divisional commissioner Roshan Jacob, in a letter to school principal Colonel Rajesh Raghav, sought an explanation from him regarding the incident.

“If you fail to present an explanation within 7 days as to why an investigation should not be launched against you, we will have no choice but to assume that you are knowingly refusing to comment on the matter,” the letter reads.

Jacob said the incident and the delay in response from the school showed a “lack of action, procrastination and negligence” on the part of the principal. The school administration also blacklisted the firm—M/s Standard Multitech Swimming Pool Water Treatment—from which the sacked staff was recruited.

The family of the deceased Om Budholiya, who was found dead in the school’s swimming pool on September 8, had levelled allegations of negligence against the school staff and the administration. The boy hailed from Orai.