He could’ve killed anybody that day: CBI

DEATH IN SCHOOL CBI says 16yearold had not identified any target and it was pure coincidence he found Pradyumn in toilet

NEWDELHI: The CBI on Wednesday apprehended a Class 11 student of Gurgaon’s Ryan International School, Bhondsi, on charges of killing his junior, a Class 2 student, in the school toilet on September 8. The investigative agency said he killed the boy because he wanted his school to be shut so that his exam and a parent-teacher meeting could be postponed.

The CBI’S findings sharply vary from the stance of Gurgaon police, which initially probed the case and arrested Ashok Kumar, a conductor of a school bus, for the crime. The victim, Pradyumn Thakur’s parents were not satisfied with the findings of Gurgaon police and demanded a CBI probe into the case.

“He (Class 11 student) is musically inclined, plays piano pretty well, had no ostensible anger management issues, but he told us that ‘something happened to him’ and his mind went ‘blank’ and he committed the act. He claims he didn’t even know his target. He is yet to stablise,” said a CBI official on the condition of anonymity.

The official said the nature of injuries on the throat of the Class 2 boy suggested the intention was to kill the child. “If he wanted to injure the child, he could have stabbed him on leg, back, or anywhere else but he went for the throat,” said the official.

Investigators found that two days before the incident, the suspect had an exam and on the day of incident, his second exam was scheduled. The official said the suspect had no prior history of any psychiatric trouble, though he was not doing well in studies.

Pradyumn was found dead in the school toilet with his throat slit by a sharp-edged weapon, minutes after the school opened on September 8 morning.

“The accused had not identified any target. It was a coincidence that he found Pradyumn alone in the toilet that day,” said the official.

CBI spokesman Abhishek Dayal said the murder weapon, a knife, was found in the commode of the toilet. It was the same knife seized by Gurgaon Police, he added.

“He is not telling us the exact date on which he procured the murder weapon. Investigation on this aspect is on,” said the official.

Investigators zeroed in on the 16-year-old boy after they re-created the sequence of events and reviewed CCTV footage of the corridor where the toilet is located.

“We spoke to his classmates, teachers and other non-teaching staff and found that the Class 11 boy was the first who saw the body of Pradyumn in the toilet and informed the school gardener. It proved he was in the toilet but the question was whether he actually committed the act. When we questioned him, his conduct was found at variance with his statements. He was questioned at his home and at the CBI headquarters for half-a-dozen times before he finally broke down,” said the official.

The CBI spokesperson said the ‘child in conflict with the law’ was apprehended on Tuesday night at 11.30 pm in accordance with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act. “His parents were kept in the loop and all measures in accordance with the JJ Act were complied with. He remains our prime suspect,” said Dayal.

The CBI ruled out the possibility of Pradyumn being sexually assaulted before being murdered.

Investigators clarified they consulted forensic and medical experts on the absence of blood stains on the clothes of accused student. “It is quite possible the attacker may not have any blood stains on his or her clothes even if the victim bled profusely,” said the official.

The CBI has still not formally absolved bus conductor Ashok Kumar, who was arrested by the Gurgaon police. “We will soon take a call about his status. Our priority was to solve the murder first. Our investigation with regard to charges of destruction of evidence against the school is still on,” the official said. The 8-year-old boy starts for his school in Bhondsi in his father’s car. His 11-yr-old sister accompanies him. A gardener and some students spot the boy lying in a pool of blood. They immediately rush to find help and spot teacher Anju Dudeja in the corridor and inform her. Dudeja rushes towards the toilet and finds the victim lying wounded. CBI will probe the role of bus conductor Ashok Kumar before giving him a clean chit. The agency will find out whether he was in collusion with the family of the juvenile accused or school. If he gets a clean chit, he can seek compensation from the state. The father drops both the children outside the school. The boy and his sister rush inside holding hands. His sister leaves him outside Class 2B on the ground floor and goes to her class. CBI would want suspect to be tried as an adult under new Juvenile Justice Act. But motive put forth by agency is not substantial. The boy likely to benefit from the fact that he had anger management issues and was treated by a psychiatrist. Barun Chandra Thakur, the father of deceased boy, approached the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court to get justice for his son. The family would want maximum punishment for the accused, which will close the case The school principal is informed. The boy’s father is told to rush to Badshahpur Hospital. A little later, he is told to go to Artemis Hospital instead Family of the victim and the public were not satisfied with police investigation as they failed to establish a motive in the Ryan murder case. Establishing a clear motive would still be a major challenge for the CBI

How did the weapon of offence reach the crime scene? Why was it washed? Why did the police not secure the crime scene? Why was it allowed to be washed and contaminated? The boy is declared dead on arrival at Artemis. Police later arrest the bus conductor for the crime. The Gurgaon police did not take the family of the accused Ashok Kumar into confidence. They want to know why the police got his ID card collected from their house on the day of the crime.

Why did police allow Kumar to admit guilt on camera in front of the media?

Despite a large SIT being set up to investigate the matter, why did the police miss the role of Class 11 student in the murder? Agency says Class 11 student, not bus conductor, killed the boy. But it is not clear what exactly happ -ened in the toilet The CBI said the Class 11 student was the one who informed the gardener about Pradyumn’s body lying in the toilet

This proved his presence in the toilet where the incident took place, CBI said

CBI investigators spoke to all those who were present — students, teachers, non-teaching staff — in the corridor where toilet is located All those questioned claimed he was not disciplined, not doing well in studies, CBI said

CCTV footage showed him around the toilet where the victim’s body was found Investigators said he was continuously changing his statements, his conduct did not match with his statements

The CBI questioned him for more than half-a-dozen times When he broke down, he told investigators he had gone ‘blank’ and ‘something had happened’ to him, CBI said Investigators said he wanted the school to be shut to get his exams and PTM postponed Not forthcoming about when he bought the knife

Suspect had his first exam two days before the incident and second exam on the day of the incident, which was cancelled Investigators said he had not pre-determined any student as target. It was co-incidence that he found the victim alone in the toilet that day