In a class of 40 students in Class 2, merely four turned up on Monday, after Ryan International School’s Bhondsi branch in Gurugram reopened for the first time since Pradyumn Thakur’s murder on 8 September.
The Class 2 student was found dead with his throat slit in the school washroom on the fateful day. A bus conductor confessed to the killing, but many questions still remain unanswered and the school administration has faced serious flak for the security lapse.
The distrust in the school administration shows in the poor turnout at the school as it reopened 10 days after Pradyumn’s murder. Approximately 100 students attended school today out of a total of 2,500, a security personnel told The Quint.
Deserted Ryan International School
(Photo: Mythreyee Ramesh)
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Security Measures Continue to Lag
The school still does not have a visitors’ book at the gate to keep track of people entering the gates. People who claimed to be parents of the students of the school were let in, without any identification proof.
However, the school has been provided with police security by the state government, for now.
Further, the students of primary classes have been asked to visit the washroom with a buddy. Prachi Jain, a classmate of Pradyumn tells The Quint:
The students from senior classes have also been asked to avoid the media.
Meanwhile, 10 buses of the school did not ply on Monday as they were impounded by the RTO last week. The school also failed to inform the parents of the glitch in bus service, and parents and students were left waiting for the bus on Monday morning.
Pradyumn’s father, speaking to The Quint demanded that the school should remain shut till the security issues are solved.
In ten days, what magic has the school management done? They have opened the school without resolving security issues. I have written to the District Commissioner, asking for the school to be closed and reopened only after it meets the security criteria. To point out one, the school still has multiple entry and exits.Barun Thakur, Pradyumn’s Father
Women & Child Development Minister, Maneka Gandhi will be holding a high level meeting on security and safety of children in schools on Monday.
Accused Ashok Kumar along with Ryan International Group’s northern zone head and the HR head were produced in a special POCSO court on Monday.
Parents & Students Concerned About Safety
The parents of the students studying in the school are worried about the safety of their children inside the school premises. A parent said, “I’m pretty worried if everything is going to be okay inside the school premises. I’ll take my child back home if I don’t get reassurances. I’m not leaving my kid.”
A student of Ryan International raised worries about his younger brother.
I have a little fear in the back of my mind. I’m on the first floor and my little brother’s class is on the ground floor. So I’m worried about him. He goes to the same washroom as Pradyumn did.
Raghav Misra, parent of a class III child, said that he was not ‘mentally prepared’ to send his child to school.
Echoing Misra’s concerns, Parveen Kankariya, mother of Rushabh Kankariya* (names changed) said, "My son cries himself to sleep still. He says he dreams about Pradyumn. They used to sit next to each other in class. How can I send my son to school? We are contemplating TC and I know it's mid-term but I can still try for admission elsewhere."
Watch what students and parents have to say as Ryan International reopens.
‘Some Hope’ After Govt’s Takeover
In the wake of the recent events, Haryana government has taken over the school for three months.
Speaking to The Quint, Sandhya Suri, parent of a class 12 student, said that the state’s takeover indicated some hope.
The problem with Ryan is that no one was in a position to convey any suggestion to the management. But now that the state has taken over, there is some hope.
The parents of over 20 students visited the school today to withdraw the admission of their wards. The Deputy Commissioner, who was present at the school, spoke to the parents and reportedly asked them to reconsider.
He also invited suggestions from the parents to improve the school.
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