Flaws in Ryan security, strict action against school management: Haryana minister

Gurugram/Chandigarh, Sep 10 (IANS) While admitting that the Ryan International School in Gurugram had several flaws in the security arrangements for students, Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma on Sunday said that managements of all private schools in the state would be made responsible and accountable for taking the students from home to school and back home.

"Strict action would be taken against any negligence in this regard. Guidelines in this regard would be issued to all schools tomorrow," Sharma told media in Gurugram.

Referring to the incident at Ryan International School in Gurugram, in which seven-year-old boy Pradyuman was murdered allegedly by a bus conductor in the school bathroom on Saturday, Sharma said action would be taken against the school management and owner of the school under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

"Investigations are being conducted by the three-member sub-committee formed by the district administration. It has found many flaws in the security of students for which the school management is answerable and a detailed report would be submitted by the sub-committee tomorrow," he said.

"Apart from this, there is no boundary wall of the school; there is no separate arrangement of toilets for bus drivers and conductors of 40 buses deployed by the school for bringing the students, and windows in the toilet meant for students were found broken," he noted.

Sharma said that on the basis of the report of the sub-committee, police action would be taken against the school management and owner of the school mentioned in the FIR.

Police have arrested the accused who had killed the child and the chargesheet would be presented in one week, he added.

"If the parents of the child are still not satisfied, the government would be willing to seek help from any agency. But I feel they will be satisfied when the chargesheet is presented in the court along with evidences," he added, while referring to demands of parents that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for probe.

He ruled out cancelling affiliation of the Ryan school saying that the future of 1,200 students, studying in the school, was at stake, but stressed that no leniency would be shown to the school management in this case.

"Liquor shops near the school would be removed all such shops located within 400 meters of all schools in Haryana would also be removed," he added.