New Delhi: Citing inadequacies in the probe carried out by the police, the Delhi government has said it will recommend an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of Divyansh Kakrora, a class I student of Ryan International School in New Delhi's Vasant Kunj area.
“Divyansh's parents have levelled serious allegations. No police official has even met them. We can see shortcomings in the ongoing probe. We will definitely recommend CBI probe,” Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Sunday.
Divyansh, a student at the school located in Vasant Kunj, was found dead in a water tank located in the school premises on January 30. The initial post mortem report of the six-year-old child had found that Divyansh had died due to drowning. However, there have been indications of a foul play into the death of the child.
The police, acting on a complaint filed by the father, have charged five people from the school, including the principal in the case. They were briefly held before being released on bail.
The decision by the Delhi government calling for a CBI probe into the unfortunate incident comes after Divyansh's father levelled some serious charges against the school management, including the possibility of a sexual assault.
Kakrora's father Ramhet Meena, in his complaint to the police, has raised 26 questions from over his son's death. According to Meena, he saw injuries on his son's body following his death, including some on his private parts.
Besides this, he has also raised question marks on the school's version on what it has termed as an ‘accident'. According to the family, it is beyond understanding how the child could have crawled his way to the water tank, which is not easily accessible.
Also, the lid of the tank, which was usually kept closed, was coincidentally open on that day. “Even if it was closed, how could a six-year-old open the lid which weighs about 20 kg?” Meena said. He has also raised doubts over the absence of relevant CCTV footage of his son venturing out of the class and into the area.
The family said that on the first day, the police informed them they had retrieved Kakrora's lunch box, bag and shoes from the tank after draining out the water.
“Why was my son carrying his lunch box with him when he ‘accidentally' drowned in the water tank? Also, he should have been wearing shoes when his body was fished out,” Meena said.
“Is it possible for a child to remove his shoes and then accidentally fall into the water? Even if he went for a dip, why would he carry his lunch box inside with him,” Meena said. He added that the boy's bag was, however, found in the classroom.
Meanwhile, the report of the magisterial probe ordered by the Delhi government into the incident has indicted the school on several counts. The report by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) recommended a case of criminal negligence against the school management and swimming coach.
It also recommended additional "civil or criminal action" against the school principal for "maligning the child" by carrying out a campaign insinuating that Devansh was a "special child".
The report said, "Devansh was a very bright child, quick learner and very active in all fields as evident from all the assignments where he scored 20/20, 10/10 with stars and had also won a gold medal in Mathematics aptitude quiz from the school. The child was found to be normal but school portrays him as a 'special child'. It clearly shows the school management carried out a deliberate campaign to malign the image of a bright student."
