NEW DELHI: Following the heart-wrenching revelation by The New Indian regarding the alleged harassment at Army Public School, leading to the tragic suicide of a tenth-grade student, the Indian Army and school management swiftly responded to address the matter.
In an official statement, the Indian Army and the School Management expressed their profound sorrow over the untimely demise of Dhiraj, a student of APS Shankar Vihar. They assured full cooperation with the grieving family and pledged to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident.
They vowed to reinforce preventive measures to avert similar tragedies in the future, emphasising that appropriate action would be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
“Indian Army and the School Management express their grief over the sad and untimely demise of Dhiraj, a student of APS Shankar Vihar, and stand firm with the bereaved family in this moment of grief. The management remains fully committed to ensure a fair and expeditious investigation into this unfortunate incident. Preventive measures will be further strengthened to prevent such incidents in the future. Action as deemed appropriate will be taken based on the investigations,” it posted on X.
The Delhi Police promptly registered an FIR against the school administration for abetment to suicide following TNI‘s report. Deputy Commissioner of Police Rohit Meena confirmed the lodging of the FIR and affirmed ongoing investigations into the case. It is anticipated that the school Principal, Malini Narayan, and teacher, Radhika, may be summoned to aid in the investigation.
The deceased, identified as Dhiraj, was a student of class X at Army Public School. Speaking to TNI, his father, Hawaldar Sunil, alleged that his son was subjected to harassment by the school Principal and a teacher, leading to his tragic decision to end his life. Sunil expressed his determination to pursue legal action against those responsible for his son’s suffering.
Speaking with TNI, the victim’s father Sunil alleged that the school principal Malini Narayan, and a teacher Radhika harassed his son due to which he committed suicide.
“My son and my wife both were harassed. Malini Narayan, the school Principal even misbehaved with my wife. My son was very upset and he committed suicide. I want them to be booked under abetment to suicide. I will fight this legal battle against the school Principal and teacher,” Sunil said.
However, concerns arose when Colonel Mukul, assisting the victim’s family, raised suspicions of external influence on the father’s stance against the school. Despite this, Sunil remained steadfast in his pursuit of justice, refuting any claims of coercion.
“I have lost all hope of getting any justice now since the father of the deceased child has been “managed” by the Army yesterday evening. However, I cannot blame the father since he is a serving soldier who can be easily “manipulated” by his superiors,” Mukul posted on X.
On the other hand, Sunil further revealed discrepancies in the school Principal’s statements to the media, alleging false claims regarding her attendance at his son’s funeral. He clarified that the last rites were conducted in Haryana, not Uttar Pradesh, questioning the Principal’s motives for misleading the public.
Meanwhile, on Saturday evening, a gathering of parents and students convened outside the school premises to protest against the administration. Their collective voices echoed demands for accountability, emphasising that the tragic loss of a young life should serve as a wake-up call to address systemic issues of harassment within the educational institution.