Two out of the three student witnesses in the Ryan murder case were given police protection on Tuesday after they gave statements before a duty magistrate in Sohna Court.
Though the witnesses’ parents were reluctant to involve their children in a murder trial, they agreed to come on record after assurances by the police. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)
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The statement of the third student will also be recorded soon.
Though the witnesses’ parents were reluctant to involve their children in a murder trial, they agreed to come on record after assurances by the police. The Gurgaon police has stationed policemen outside their homes.
“They are the prime witnesses and we have to ensure their safety... witnesses will be provided full security and their identities will not be revealed,” said Deputy commissioner of police, South Gurgaon, Ashok Bakshi.
Bakshi added that though the case has been cracked, providing security cover was important, “...only one accused is involved in the murder who has been arrested, but the trial has yet not started”.
The three students had seen the accused inside the toilet around the time of murder. They saw the accused school bus conductor, Ashok Kumar, when they went to change their uniform for Taekwondo class, the police said.
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The police corroborated the statements of the students with CCTV camera footages, which is the most crucial piece of evidence to prove Kumar’s involvement in the murder.
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The police corroborated the statements of the students with CCTV camera footages, which is the most crucial piece of evidence to prove Kumar’s involvement in the murder.
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Statement of another witness, gardener Harpal has also been recorded. Police claim that Harpal also saw Kumar inside the toilet before the murder.
Kumar, who was arrested on September 8, has confessed before the police and on camera of some news channels that he killed the boy after attempting to molest him sexually.
The boy’s throat was slit twice with a knife that Kumar had carried with him inside the toilet.
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.
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