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Ryan murder: Investigating officer transferred from Bhondsi police station

FAMILIES SUSPICIOUS: Say the transfer of the investigating officer points at foul play. Gurgaon cops dismiss allegations, say it was due since July.

Published on: Oct 4, 2017, 11:44:27 IST
Hindustan Times | By , Gurgaon
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In a new development in the murder investigation of an eight-year-old student of Ryan International School, Bhondsi, police inspector Narender Kumar, who was a station house officer in Bhondsi was transferred on deputation on Monday.

The family members are alleging that Kumar has no role in the murder and the police had threatened him to confess to the murder charges due to pressure. (Sanjeev Verma/HT File Photo)
The family members are alleging that Kumar has no role in the murder and the police had threatened him to confess to the murder charges due to pressure. (Sanjeev Verma/HT File Photo)

Kumar was the investigating officer of the case when the case was with the Gurgaon police. The case is now being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The case was transferred by the state government on September 22 after repeated demands by the boy’s father.

Kumar left the charge of the police station on Tuesday.

He has been transferred to Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited, Panchkula. Kumar was not available for comment as he has surrendered his cellphone at the police station. He could not be reached on his personal number despite several attempts.

On September 29, another officer associated with the case Tanya Singh, assistant commissioner of police, Pataudi, was also transferred to Kurukshetra.

The sudden transfer of the Gurgaon police officer has raised questions, especially from the families of the victim and the accused. Both families find the developments—the transfer of police officials and resumption of suspended officiating principal Neerja Batra in Sector 40 branch of the school—suspicious. They say these events point towards foul play.

The Gurgaon police had arrested school bus conductor Ashok Kumar, 42, the same day.

“Ashok told me that the CBI teams had left him alone in a room with the inspector Narender Kumar in the school when he was brought by the CBI team to recreate the entire crime scene. Ashok denied his role in the murder in front of the SHO,” Mohit Verma, defence counsel.

Family members allege that Kumar has no role in the murder and the police had threatened him to confess to the murder charges due to the pressure.

“The child was dead when my husband picked his body. He (Ashok) was given third-degree torture to confess the crime and he has also told the same to the CBI team members. My husband is innocent and is framed by the senior officials to save someone else,” said wife of the accused Mamta, a 24-year-old.

On the other hand, the Gurgaon police officials denied the allegations and said that his transfer was due since July and it is not due to the murder case.

“The investigation is being carried by the CBI and whenever they will require the inspector’s presence, he will be available. His transfer is a normal process and not out of the blue. He was not relieved earlier in July hence his posting was overdue,” said deputy commissioner of police (South) Ashok Bakshi.

  • 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