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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

Updated on: Sep 9, 2017, 13:01:53 IST
Hindustan Times, Gurgaon | By , Gurgaon
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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)
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)

  • Leena Dhankhar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Leena Dhankhar

    Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More