Watch: Parents Hopeful as Ryan International School Reopens Again

Ryan International School reopened on 25 September, 16 days after the brutal murder of Pradyumn Thakur.

File photo of Ryan International students in Gurugram.

(Photo: The Quint/Mythreyee Ramesh)

At 7.30 am on 25 September, four staff members from Ryan International School in Gurugram's Bhondsi stood in a line outside the main entrance. They politely requested media persons not to "badger" the children with questions. At this point, even they were unsure of the number of children who would turn up at the school.

When the school first reopened on 18 September in the aftermath of the brutal murder of 7-year old Pradyumn Thakur inside the school premises, hardly 100 children turned up. The road that lead to the school was almost empty. The buses of the school plied with just one or two students. 

The school was shut again till 25 September by the District Commissioner of the Haryana government, who will be in-charge of managing the school for the next three months.

However, this Monday was nothing like the last. Minutes after the school authorities took their position outside the school, students started arriving in batches.

Students arrive at Ryan International School.(Photo: The Quint/Mythreyee Ramesh)

The private school vans started pouring in along with school buses. Anxious parents also came in large numbers to drop their children off at the school.

Also Read: Ryan School Murder: Unanswered Questions About Police Version

The District Commissioner on 23 September had called for a parent-teacher meet where he reportedly assured the parents that their children's security would not be comprised. He also directed the class teachers to share their numbers with the parents and respond to their queries immediately.

According to parents, they were also shown that the CCTV cameras that were already installed were in working condition, and informed that more cameras would be installed on the campus within a week. A broken wall, that allowed the entry from behind the school, has also reportedly been fixed. A makeshift toilet has been built inside the school premises for the non-teaching staff of the school.

A newly installed metal detector inside the campus. (Photo: The Quint/Mythreyee Ramesh)

Also Read: Meet The Pintos: The Family Behind Ryan International Schools

Return to School: How Do the Kids Feel?

When asked how his daughter felt about going back to school, he said that she doesn't know of Pradyumn being murdered, as he did not want to scare her again.

Ritika Agarwal, a student of class 9, said that while she was excited to return back to school, the fear still looms.

Naturally, we are scared. What happened to him was unimaginable. But teachers have said that nothing like that will ever happen again. I am excited to come back to school and meet my friends.

Ritika Agarwal, student

Also Read: Parents of Ryan Int’l Students Rue Putting Brand Over Safety

Justice For Pradyumn

Raghav Misra, who had sent his son to the school on 18 September told The Quint that it was time parents invest some trust in the government-led administration. But, he added that “justice to Pradyumn Thakur” should not be forgotten.

Also Read: The Hidden Costs of Ryan International School’s Success: Part 1

On 24 September, one day before the school reopened, the CBI investigating team brought the accused, Ashok Kumar, the conductor who had confessed to the crime, and Haripal, the school gardener, to the school to recreate the crime scene.

The team wanted to verify if the claims made by the accused match up. The CBI is currently investigating the case, and according to security personnel, the corridor where the washroom (in which Pradyumn was murdered) has been cordoned off.

File photo of parents protesting at Ryan International earlier. (Photo: The Quint/Mythreyee Ramesh)

25 September saw hopeful parents drop their children to school, hopeful that their children would be safe, hopeful that nothing as close to what happened to Pradyumn ever happens again. But, they also want answers from Ryan Inernational Group. They all want justice for Pradyumn.

Also Read: Pradyumn Murder Was Shocking, But There’s Hope: Ryan Parent Writes