Ryan International Remains Shut, 3,500 Schools to Be Inspected

The Delhi government on Sunday ordered all schools to file “safety report” within a month.

As outrage grows over the death of a six-year-old boy at the Ryan International School in South Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area, which remains closed two days after the incident, the Delhi government on Sunday ordered all schools to file a “safety report” within a month.

The police continued to question some authorities of the school, taking statements of the principal, Sandhya Sabu, and 12 teachers of the school, as part of its probe into the death of Divyansh Kakrora, a class 1 student who was found dead on Saturday in a water reservoir at the school premises.

CNN-IBN has reported that the amphitheatre was left open and the tank area, which was supposed to be closed off, was unattended. The authorities claim that a pump in-charge is always on duty to monitor all the pumps. They added that the swimming coach was the first to find the drowning child and pulled him out immediately. Although reports suggest that the kid vomited after being rescued, it is still unclear why he could not be saved.

Alleging foul play in Divyansh’s death, his family has demanded a CBI probe. He was cremated on Sunday, January 31, at Dausa district in Rajasthan, where the family hails from. “We want the CBI to probe the matter,” relatives present at the boy’s cremation said. Meanwhile, CNN-IBN has reported that AAP MLA Col. Devendra Sehrawat has filed a petition in the High Court to look into the matter.

The initial postmortem report suggests that the child died of drowning, a senior police official said, adding that foul play cannot be ruled out at this point. A FIR was registered yesterday at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station under Section 304 (A) of the IPC against unknown persons for causing death due to negligence.

The Delhi government held a meeting Sunday, presided over by deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, to order all schools to file a report to the government within one month about safety aspects at their premises.

“We have asked principals of each school, be it government, MCD or private, to carry out a prima facie inspection and give us a report. As soon as we get the report, we will carry out an inspection based on their report,” Sisodia said.

I will get all 3,500 schools inspected in the next one month through SDMs, fire department, PWD, DJB, education department and MCD.

Manish Sisodia

Ramhit Meena, Divyansh’s father, blamed the school authorities for the child’s death.

It is conspiracy by the school authorities and someone in the staff must be involved in the incident. I received a call from the school and I rushed to emergency ward at the hospital, where I found the principal at the entrance. I kept asking everyone about what had happened but nobody responded. Then the principal took me to the doctor, who informed me that my son was brought dead at the hospital

Ramhit Meena

However, the principal of the school refuted the allegation and claimed that Divyansh was a special child, who was “hyperactive” and had a tendency of running away from the classroom. She, however, could not explain how the child fell into the water tank beneath the school’s amphitheatre.

Divyansh was last seen before the seventh period, which was around 12.20 pm. The authorities then began looking for him and after a while he was found floating inside the pit that is used as a water storage tank located under the amphitheatre in the school’s playground. He was then rushed to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

An AIIMS team will reach the site and investigate the matter.

In a letter to Sisodia, Vijwasan MLA Devinder Sehrawat has urged the government to take “strong action against the delinquency of the school authority” and has called for the cancellation of the school’s licence.

The swimming pool in the school that is being illegally run using DJB water should be immediately sealed. The officials, which may include personnel from DJB, should be strictly acted against.

Devinder Sehrawat

Meanwhile, a number of parents of children studying in the school are demanding action against the school. “The school authority must be punished,” said an angry parent. Although the school was closed today, many parents were seen visiting the school, offering flowers and condolences to the deceased.

(With PTI inputs.)