Gurgaon: Parents protest outside school, demand arrest of Ryan authorities

The eight-year-old victim was found bleeding and struggling to reach for help after his throat had been slit on Friday morning.

A day after a second grader was murdered in Bhondsi’s Ryan International School allegedly by a bus conductor, hundreds of parents, who have school-going children across Gurgaon, gathered outside the school on Saturday morning demanding arrest of school authorities.

People gather outside the Ryan International School on Saturday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

A group of parents, victim’s father, and their lawyer also protested outside the police commissioner’s office. Parents even formed a group to address the issues related to safety and security in schools across Gurgaon. They have started a signature campaign and will submit the sheet to the district administration. More than 500 parents have signed till now.

In the evening, candle marches were held at Shyam Kunj, where the victim’s family lives, near Ryan school.

The eight-year-old victim 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 Kumar, who, they said, confessed to killing the child after attempting sexual assault.

“Just arresting the bus conductor is not sufficient. It is negligence on the part of the school and they should be booked,” said the victim’s father.

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

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

The protesters at the 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, another parent.

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 have added the POCSO Act in the case. More names will be added soon.”