Killing just to postpone exam? A disturbing reality

GURUGRAM: A 16-year-old killed a 7-year old by slitting his throat and then flushes the knife with which he killed him. He does all this to postpone the half yearly examinations and delay the parent-teacher meeting where his weakness in academics would have been highlighted. This for once may seem shocking and unthinkable but it is the new theory that has been put forth by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the murder of Pradyuman Thakur. The startling revelations have once again raised the disturbing reality of student violence within the schools.

While the murder of classII student in the washroom of a school raised the fears of inadequate security measures in the schools, rising student violence and indiscipline has now become another area of concern.

While all the schools have been directed to have counsellors in the schools, there is now a demand by parents to do more in this regard. More- over, this is not for the first time that student violence has resulted in a deadly end in educational institutions of Gurugram. In 2007, a CLASSVIII student was shot dead by his classmate with a licensed gun that he had allegedly stolen from his father.

The district authorities back then announced that strict screening procedures will be implemented not only on the staff but as well as students in the school but was implemented well then. “Following the gruesome incident of Pradyuman, school has taken various measures. Many of us have signed the character certificate and verification procedures of teachers and the staff have again been ascertained. Amid all this however the issue of student mental psyche and violent behaviour has not been addressed that prominently,” said a teacher on the condition of anonymity.

“Today there is a lot of negative influences on the child. It cannot be dealt only with the councillor. This will have to be dealt together by the teacher and the parent,” she added