Death of Class X student: Kolkata School principal among 4 booked for murder, conspiracy

Quite disappointing

Death of Class X student: Kolkata School principal among 4 booked for murder, conspiracy

A day after a class X student died after allegedly falling from the fourth floor of a private school building in the Kasba area of Kolkata, police on Tuesday registered a murder FIR against the school principal, vice-principal and two teachers of the school.

Earlier, the police had registered a case of unnatural death.

“The father of the deceased student submitted a written complaint at Kasba Police Station, against the principal, vice-principal and two other teachers of the school, accusing them of hatching a criminal conspiracy to kill his son.

Based on the complaint, an FIR under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) was registered,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shankha Shubra Chakrabarty.

The father has alleged that his son was being targeted by schoolteachers and was beaten to death on Monday.

“A school project was supposed to be submitted on Monday. He was scolded for not being able to submit it on time. He felt humiliated after he was made to stand in the class holding his ears,” the student’s father said.

He also alleged that his son was being targeted as he had mobilised parents to demand a reduction in school fees during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“During Covid-19 pandemic, I had mobilised parents of the students against the school authorities demanding a reduction in fees. The school eventually reduced the fees by 33% under pressure from us. Since then, my son was treated differently at the school,” the father alleged.

The student’s father also claimed that the school authorities initially told him that his son fell from a staircase and was doing okay. “But by the time, we reached the hospital, he was dead… Despite falling to his death from a height, his body showed no signs of broken bones. He was first killed and then thrown off the fourth floor of the school building,” the father said.

Meanwhile, a team of forensic experts visited the school and inspected the spot where the 16-year-old fell down. The team also reconstructed the sequence of the event based on the information they have received so far, sources said.

As per the investigators, the CCTV footage shows that the student was alive till 2 pm and was last seen on the top floor of the building. He was reportedly found lying on the ground around 2.15 pm.

The body has been sent for postmortem.

Reacting to the allegations, the school authorities on Monday said, “An investigation into the matter is on. No school will ever target children and harass them. We are a children-friendly institution and no teacher reacted the way it’s being alleged.”

Express News Service – 2023-09-05 20:05

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