Parents, students protest Aakriti's death

Anguished parents and screaming students on Thursday took on the authorities of one of Delhi's most reputed institutions, Modern School Vasant Vihar, blaming them for the death of 17-year-old girl Aakriti Bhatia who succumbed to an asthma attack.

Anguished parents and screaming students on Thursday took on the authorities of one of Delhi's most reputed institutions, Modern School Vasant Vihar, blaming them for the death of 17-year-old girl Aakriti Bhatia who succumbed to an asthma attack during school hours three days ago.

HT Image

Shouting slogans and holding placards, many of the protestors, including students from other well known Delhi schools, gathered outside Modern School in south Delhi, demanding the resignation of principal Goldy Malhotra for alleged negligence.

"I was horrified to know what had happened in school. A girl who was gasping for breath was not offered a vehicle by the school to take her to hospital," said a former member of the school's Parent Teacher Association.

"There are hundreds of cars parked in the school and the principal also possesses a car. Why were they waiting for ambulance? Goldy Malhotra is the most unethical principal I have ever seen and she should resign."

Aakriti's own parents, who have registered a police complaint against the school authorities, were among the protestors and came face to face with the principal.

A heated exchange of words followed between the protestors and the school authorities.

Aakriti, a Class 12 student, had suffered an asthma attack in school Monday and died on the way to hospital. The principal however has refused to accept that she died due to the school's alleged negligence.

"We demand an apology from the school principal and want her to resign. We will continue our protest till the principal tenders her resignation," a friend of Aakriti's said.

Said a parent: "The principal should resign. Just imagine how would it feel if your or my family member passes away like this?"

Aakriti had reportedly complained of breathlessness to her teacher and had later called up and informed her mother as well. She was shifted to the school's sports room and put on oxygen. As her condition deteriorated, she was rushed to Holy Angels hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

"Any staff member could have offered his or her car to take Aakriti to hospital but they kept waiting for Aakriti's car. The hospital is only one km away from the school and they waited around 45 minutes, doing nothing. As a result we lost her. The principal should accept her fault and apologise," said an angry parent.

Students of Don Bosco, Delhi Public School, Dwarka, Birla Vidya Niketan, G.D. Goenka and Summerfield were among those who collected outside Modern School, Vasant Vihar, to protest the alleged negligence that led to the death.