Gurgaon’s Ryan International School Principal suspended over brutal murder of 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur

GURGAON: Pradyuman Thakur, 7, was found with his throat slit in the toilet of Ryan International School, Gurgaon on Friday morning. According to the police, the Class 2 student was murdered by a school bus conductor, when the man failed to sexually abuse the minor. The principal of Ryan International School, Neerja Batra has been suspended on Saturday morning.

Hours after the brutal murder of Pradyuman, the Gurgaon Police arrested Ashok Kumar, 42, one of the school’s bus conductors. On Friday, forensic experts had collected blood samples and fingerprints from the washroom. They also collected the blood-stained knife that was recovered from the crime spot.

On Friday morning, Pradyuman’s father Varun Thakur dropped him and his sister at Ryan International School, Gurgaon. Just 15 minutes later, Mr Thakur got phone call from the school authorities, asking him to rush to Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon. By the time the Thakurs reached the hospital, their little boy had already breathed his last.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Simardeep Singh said on Friday evening that the bus conductor Ashok attempted to sexually assault the boy. When he raised an alarm, Ashok slit his throat with a knife.

Accused Ashok was working in Ryan International for the past eight months. He was arrested on Friday evening, after the police questioned teachers, students and several staff members, including the gardener, bus drivers, and bus conductors.

After the news broke out on Friday morning, scores of parents barged into the school premises, and vandalized the school by throwing around furniture and breaking award cases made of glass. Even on Saturday morning, many parents protested outside the school. Security has been beefed up to prevent any untoward incident.

Pradyuman’s parents have held the school responsible for their boy’s murder. On Saturday morning, Varun Thakur visited the Gurgaon Police Commissioner’s office to demand action against the management of Ryan International School, Gurgaon. The District Collector has formed a committee that will investigate and prepare a report on the lapses by the school.