MP: A search for better life, an ardour to do job and a fatal prank

A fatal prank played by a handful of teenagers in Bhopal stubbed out life from not just a 38-year-old school security guard, but also a family which lost their sole breadwinner.

The hapless family of Rajendra Gaur, the security guard at Bhopal’s Sagar Public School, who died after being run over by bike-borne teenagers when he tried to chase them for throwing firecrackers on the institute premises, left the city on Saturday, a day after Gaur succumbed to his head injuries.

Gaur had come to Bhopal a year back to give his family a better life

Gaur, a native of Narsinghgarh, had come to the state capital a year back to give his family a better life and his children good education.

“He left his agricultural land and migrated (to Bhopal) with his wife and children because he wanted to give them a better future. He was just 38,” said Gaur’s mother Bhawri Bai. His wife in her early 30s, five-year old son and three-old-year daughter will not be able to survive in Bhopal alone after Gaur’s death and hence we are taking them back to Narsinghgarh, she said.

Had tried to chase students who threw a burning cracker inside the school

On March 19, Gaur tried to chase 10 students of Jawahar Lal Nehru School, who allegedly threw a burning cracker inside the school premises. According to a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera, installed on Sagar Public School premises, as the pranksters tried to escape on their bikes one of them allegedly fatally hit Gaur. The boys allegedly raced away on their bikes leaving Gaur with a serious head injury.

Police have so far detained one student after a complaint was filed by the school administration.

Prayer service organized in memory of Gaur

Meanwhile, the SPS organized a prayer service in memory of Gaur, while students of Class 9 took out a silent march on Saturday.

“This march is to sensitise people, especially teenagers. A mischief by students has taken away a life,” said SPS principal Jayshree Kanwar. Condemning the act, Kanwar said neither parents nor the students, who were involved, have bothered to apologise or visit the poor guard and his family.

According to psychologist Dr Vinay Mishra, lack of adult control and loss of value education are two prime factors which led the teenagers to behave irresponsibly.

“Teenage is definitely an age group when one is not afraid to take risks, but this generation does not know its limits as they have no one to guide them. Teachers are overworked and their parents are working hard to give them a comfortable life. In such a situation there is no one left to tell them the difference between right and wrong,” he said.

He advised parents and guardians to impart moral values to children, so that they grow up as teenagers whose generosity and judgment in life is beyond “Facebook mannerism.”