Almost two months after a teenager fell from a school building under mysterious circumstances in Sector 48 here, the family has approached the Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR), holding the school administration responsible for the incident and accusing the police of delaying action in the case.
In his letter to the commission, Mohit’s father Bijender Singh, a resident of Islampur village, said his 15-year-old son has undergone 11 surgeries since he fell, incurring an expenditure of over ₹38 lakh so far.
11 surgeries
“He has undergone 11 surgeries, including three spinal cord surgeries and three surgeries on one hand, during his over one-month-long stay at the hospital. We have borrowed money for his treatment, and are under debt. It is all because of negligence on part of the school authorities, but the school administration is accusing my son of jumping from the building in a bid to commit suicide,” said Mr. Singh.
The Class IX student of C.D. Senior Secondary School on Sohna Road had reached school by bus around 7 a.m. on July 4, the day the school opened after summer vacation.
He fell from the fourth floor of the building two hours later.
“I got a call from the school around 9 a.m. saying Mohit had sustained injuries and was admitted to Sona Devi Hospital. I reached the hospital to find him in a critical condition and rushed him to Medanta Hospital,” said Mr. Singh.
Mr. Singh said the police are yet to determine how his son reached the top of the building despite security or whether he was sent by teachers. The farmer added that the Investigation Officer in the case was changed thrice but the police are yet to record the victim’s statement.
“I had submitted an application at office of the Commissioner of Police on August 11 saying that Mohit was fit for statement but the police are yet to record his version. They are delaying the investigation with a motive,” alleged Mr. Singh, adding that his son had told him about the incident. Mr. Singh, however, said he cannot reveal the details before Mohit’s statement is recorded.
In his letter to the commission, Mr. Singh said the police initially registered the case under lenient sections despite serious injuries but were forced to invoke Section 338 of the IPC after he presented the medical reports. He accused the police of “trying to hush up the matter in connivance with school authorities”.
Cooperation assured
Investigation Officer Sub-Inspector Suresh Kumar said the case was handed over to him just two days ago and the statement of the victim will be recorded soon. “The statement could not be recorded because he was not medically fit,” claimed Mr. Kumar.
CD group of schools director Yashpal Yadav asserted that the management will cooperate in investigation in the case. He reiterated that the boy had jumped from the school building on his own. .
HSCPCR member B.K. Goel said the commission had received the application a day ago and that he was examining all the papers.