Ryan International School murder: Accused a tough nut to crack, say probe officials

The 42-year-old bus conductor, Ashok Kumar, who has been arrested for allegedly murdering an eight-year-old student at Ryan International School at Bhondsi, is not cooperating with investigators and has so far not divulged anything more than what he said in his initial ‘confession’, police said.

The 42-year-old bus conductor, Ashok Kumar, who has been arrested for allegedly murdering an eight-year-old student at Ryan International School at Bhondsi, is not cooperating with investigators and has so far not divulged anything more than what he said in his initial ‘confession’, police said.

Fourty two-year-old Ashok Kumar, who allegedly slit the throat of an eight-year-old in Ryan International School, Bhondsi, on Friday morning was produced before a court on Tuesday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

Investigators have taken Ashok to the crime spot four times during his three-day police remand but the accused has not changed his stance. He has remained tight lipped about any more details that led to Friday morning’s incident.

“He is claiming that the incident took place in a spur of the moment. He has accepted trying to sexually assault the boy. But, he is also claiming that he did not do so earlier,” said a senior police official close to the investigation.

Police sources said Ashok was even questioned in the presence of the parents of the victim. He then wept saying that he couldn’t comprehend how the incidet had happened.

The officer said many officials questioned him about various angles pertaining to the crime to secure more details. But but the accused is sticking to his initial stand that he killed the boy and that the incident was not pre-planned. About the crime weapon, the man claimed that the knife was kept in the bus and he had taken it to the toilet for washing it.

When taken to the crime spot, the accused repeatede the sequence of events and there was not much change in his statement, said the officer who wished not to be named.

Deputy Commissioner of police, South Gurgaon, Ashok Bakshi said there has been no change in the accused’s statement and there is nothing to suggest the handiwork of some outsider.

Ashok Kumar was arrested on Friday evening on charges of murdering an eight-year-old in a toilet of the school in the morning. He is accused of slitting the throat of the boy after a failed sexual attempt.