Ryan International school murder: Hundreds gather to seek officials’ arrest; principal suspended

Police assure case against school’s management as people fumer over staff sharing toilet used by children

Hundreds of people who have school-going children gathered from across Gurgaon at the Ryan International school on Saturday morning and the principal was suspended, a day after a second grader was murdered on the premises allegedly by a bus conductor.

Gurgaon citizens gather outside the Ryan International school in Bhondsi to demand arrest of the management’s officials. (Sanjeev Verma/HT photo)

The victim, eight years old, was found bleeding and struggling to reach for help after his throat had been slit on Friday morning. Later in the evening, police announced they had arrested Ashok, who, they said, confessed to killing the child after attempting sexual assault.

“Just arresting the bus conductor is not sufficient. It is negligence on part of the school and they should be booked”, said the victim’s father, who was participating in a protest at the police commissioner’s office on Saturday morning.

His son had been killed in a toilet that school officials said was shared by other school staff.

Outside the school on Saturday, hundreds of parents gathered and sought the arrest of the school’s management officials.

“We pay hefty amount for facility of our kids not for drivers and conductors. How was the lower staff allowed to use same toilet? He must be a regular offender,” said Arun Yadav, a parent of a Ryan International school student, outside the institute’s premises.

The protesters at the Bhondsi school also tried to block the Sohna highway, but the police contained them.

“We cannot digest the fact that a conductor kept the knife in his pocket accidentally. There is much more in the case which the police are trying to cover up,” said Kuldeep Yadav, another parent.

“The conductor had the intention to kill the child and he came prepared with the knife. It was a brand new knife which he must have brought a day before”, said Deepa Rawat, who also has a school-going child.

Officials assured the parents that school authorities will be booked for criminal negligence.

Ashok Bakshi, deputy commissioner of police, South Gurgaon, said, “The accused has been arrested and we are adding the Pocso Act (section relating to sexual abuse of children) in the case. More names will be added soon.”

(With ANI inputs)