India: 12-year-old schoolboy in Delhi dies after being thrashed by seniors, probe initiated
Child Abuse
An inquiry has been ordered into the death of a 12-year-old student who was allegedly assaulted by students of senior classes at a government school in the capital city of New Delhi last week.
The Delhi government opened the probe on Tuesday (Jan 23), 12 days after the boy was assaulted before succumbing to his injuries on January 20. A post-mortem was conducted on Tuesday and the report was awaited by the police.
The autopsy was conducted bya panel of three doctors constituted by the Delhi government which also released a statement on the same day, expressing condolences to the grieving family.
“The alleged incident took place outside of the school's premises, as parents sought the CCTV footage and that has been ascertained. A prompt inquiry has been ordered already in the matter soliciting a report from the committee within two days and a formal report from the head of the school is to be submitted by Tuesday,” the government said.
The boy’s family has also alleged medical negligence by a private doctor in providing treatment to the young student that led to his death.
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Boy's mother demands justice
The mother of the schoolboyhas appealed to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to "give her son back". She said she enrolled her kid into a government school, only because she trusted the assurances given by the CM about the quality of schools.
“I askKejriwal only one thing, that please give my son back, whom I had admitted in a government school by trusting you," she was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
"I had only sent my son to school for one day this month and my son ended up in a very bad condition. I still do not know what happened to my son as there are no CCTV cameras in the school,” she added.
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The boy's father said his son, a student of Class VI, had returned home from school on January 11, limping and in extreme pain. Despite asking him about the condition, the boy kept quiet.
He was taken to a hospital where he received medication and was advised to rest for a few days. However, his health worsened and he passed away at a hospital in Rohini.
(With inputs from agencies)