Minister says won’t derecognise Ryan International School, points to security loopholes after child’s murder

Haryana education minister Ram Bilas Sharma on Sunday said that a three-member committee formed to probe whether any negligence or security lapses could have led to the murder of an eight-year-old student at Ryan International School, Bhondsi has found several loopholes in the school’s security protocol.

Gurgaon deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh had constituted the committee on Friday after the victim as found seriously injured a school toilet in the morning. He died shortly afterwards. A 42-year-old bus conductor Ashok Kumar was arrested for the crime. He was allegedly in the toilet when the victim went there and was killed.

Although the committee comprising the district education officer, block education officer, and an official of district Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan did not divulge details of its findings, the education minister said the panel found many loopholes in the school’s safety measures.

“The committee has found that toilets were shared by students and 40 bus drivers and conductors, no security for students near toilets, porous school boundary, no checking system on entry while the coverage of CCTV cameras is not comprehensive,” Sharma said during his visit to Gurgaon on Sunday.

He said he had received inputs from the officials and a detailed report would be submitted by Monday.

“Action against school is being initiated under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act. More sections may be added after the report is received. Name of school owner and management officials may be added,” he said. Sharma said it was a serious matter that the school did not check background of the accused.

But he ruled out derecognising the school.

“There is no such option so far. About 1200 students study in the school. We will ask the school to strengthen safety measures,” he said.

The state education department on Monday will release strict guidelines for private schools regarding security and safety of students. Sharma said safety of the students would be responsibility of the schools from time of picking them up to dropping them home.

While the victim’s father has demanded a CBI probe, Sharma said the government was open for inquiry into the murder by a higher agency, if the family was not satisfied with probe by the local police.