Boy’s family seeks action against school, meets district magistrate
GHAZIABAD: Family members of a 10-year-old boy, who died in an accident on board his school bus on April 20, held a protest at the district magistrate’s office on Tuesday morning and later held a two-hour long closeddoor meeting with district officials demanding strict action against the school authorities.
Ten-year-old Anurag Bhardwaj, a class 4 student of Dayawati Modi Public School, died last week while travelling on board the bus to his school in Modinagar. He had allegedly peeped out of the bus when he got hit by a pole, leaving him with grievous head injuries to which he later succumbed.
The family had lodged a police complaint soon after the accident, alleging murder and criminal conspiracy. The Modinagar police lodged an FIR on their complaint, and a day later, on April 21, arrested the driver and conductor of the bus.
The police said the duo was booked for culpable homicide under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Apart from the bus driver and conductor, the FIR had also named the principal and other school authorities but they have not been arrested.
“My son is gone and he will never return. I have told the police officers during the meeting that the school authority is responsible for the incident and they too have to be arrested. The officers have assured us that the probe will be expedited,” said Neha Sharma, the boy’s mother.
Iraj Raja, superintendent of police (rural), who also attended the meeting, confirmed the mother’s comment and said the family has been assured of a fair and transparent investigation. “We have also told them that the case can also be referred to any other agency of their liking. On our part, we are carrying out an investigation and looking into different aspects such as criminal negligence, if any, on part of the school officials. If there is negligence which is not criminal in nature, then action can be taken up by the district authorities. The police investigation will be expedited,” he said.
Members of Ghaziabad Parents’ Association (GPA) were also with the family during the meeting and their representatives also staged a sit-in protest at the district magistrate’s office seeking justice for the family.
“The officials told us that they have taken action. During initial investigations, the police picked up school officials for questioning but they were let off. The bus was blacklisted by the transport department and it is not possible that the school authorities were not aware of the matter,” said Seema Tyagi, president of GPA.
The school authorities could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.
Earlier, the state transport department suspended two additional regional transport officers and one regional in-charge after it was revealed that the school bus in question was operating without a fitness certificate (the certificate expired on March 7, 2021) and was also blacklisted on October 8, 2021.
Following the incident, the transport department said there are 1,899 school buses plying in Ghaziabad and nearly 756 of them were blacklisted.
Raja also said a committee comprising an additional district magistrate, SP (rural), chief fire officer and officials of the education department will be formed to probe arrangements on school buses.
“The committee will conduct checks in all schools, including Dayawati Modi Public School, and look into all safety aspects. The panel will submit a report soon,” the SP said.