Ryan student murder: CBSE pulls up school over low boundary wall, no working CCTV cameras
A committee set up by the CBSE said the boy’s life could have been saved had the school authorities discharged their duties and responsibilities with care and sincerity.
A child who was killed in Gurgaon’s Ryan International last week might have never been attacked if the school took security seriously, an investigation by the Central Board of Secondary Education has determined, beginning on Saturday the process to possibly scrap the institute’s recognition.
No attendant was posted at the toilet, surveillance cameras were not working, and boundary walls were not high enough, the probe team cited as some of the shortcomings. It asked the school why its recognition should not be cancelled due to such neglect.
The victim was an 8-year-old who bled to death after his throat was slit, triggering worries regarding the safety of children. Preliminary findings by police too suggested negligence on the part of the management.
Read | CBSE notice after Ryan student’s murder: 12 safety measures school failed to ensure
“Had the school management deployed attendant/ayah, the mishap would have been avoided. It was told that the cry of the child was not heard by any staff. This indicates complete negligence of the school management towards safety and security,” said the notice. HT has a copy of the document.
It was based on the findings of a two-member committee that surveyed the school and met staff.
“The committee can conclude (the student) was murdered in the toilet. From the drop off point, walk of around 50 metres to take entry into the main building. Adjacent to the main gate of the building is a toilet block after which are the classrooms. (The student) was found murdered in the toilet which indicates that he might have been pulled inside the toilet and killed there. The toilet windows had no grills and hence people can access easily from outside.”
HT has removed the child’s name from the portion quoted above since the case includes sections relating to sexual abuse, which require victim identities to be protected.
“From the entire sequence of events, it appears that the school is guilty of gross negligence and failed to ensure safety and security of the students in the school.”
The notice also accuses the management of failing to report the incident to police and to the education department.
The police were informed by the victim’s parents.
CBSE’s probe found the infrastructure was full of holes. “The boundary wall does not have enough height and no barbed wire is put above the boundary wall, as a result of which anybody can jump and enter the school premises which defeats safety objectives.”
Staff could not present mandatory safety certificates, and the fire safety certificate expired on May 21, 2017.
Ryan International authorities have to reply to the notice within 15 days before action will be taken against them.