Ghaziabad student death: Arman’s parents record statements

Arman’s parents had filed an FIR against the school authorities

Following the ‘unexplained’ death of their 10-year-old son at GD Goenka School in Indirpauram on August 1, parents of Arman Sehgal appeared before the inquiry officer and submitted their statement in writing. The Ghaziabad district magistrate had ordered a magisterial probe into the class 4 student’s death and the inquiry will end on August 22.

Arman died after a fall on the second floor corridor on GD Goenka School in Indirapuram on August 1. (Sakib Ali/HT FILE)

Arman died after a fall on the second floor corridor on August 1. Alleging negligence on the part of the school, his parents had filed an FIR for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence against the school officials. The school officials claim it was an accident.

“In their statements, his parents have primarily said Arman was not given medical aid or oxygen at school which could have saved his life. They also stated that three unidentified men barged into the post-mortem house and spoke to doctors while Arman’s autopsy was going on. They also claimed that they were threatened at gunpoint by unidentified men to settle the matter,” said Rajesh Kumar Yadav, additional district magistrate (finance & revenue), the inquiry officer.

The official said Arman’s parents, Swati and Gulshan Sehgal, said that they were not shown the CCTV footage procured by the police from the school premises. They also the police were lax with the probe.

“They said the police gave time to the school authorities to seek legal remedy. Sehgals have also said the post-mortem report indicates injuries to the base of the skull but did not indicate how the injury was sustained,” Yadav said.

The official said three of Arman’s relatives also recorded their statements. He said he will now seek a report from the police and Priti Jaiswal, additional district magistrate (city), who conducted an inspection at the school soon after the incident.

Read I Ghaziabad student death: No arrest, parents to protest outside school

Jaiswal had found that the staff nurse was not available when Arman was brought to the medical room, besides finding a non-functional oxygen cylinder and a strip of expired medicine.

The school authorities have also moved the Allahabad high court which ordered that any coercive action be kept in abeyance till August 28.

“After the report from the police and ADM (city), I will finish the inquiry and submit a report to the Ghaziabad district magistrate,” Yadav said.