Will approach CBI to take over Ryan murder probe, says CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Khattat with kin of Pradyuman. Khattat with kin of Pradyuman.(Express Photo by Manoj Kumar)

The PROBE into the murder of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur, who was killed inside a bathroom at Ryan International School’s Bhondsi branch last week, will now be handed over to the CBI. The announcement was made by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, when he went to visit the child’s family in Gurgaon on Friday afternoon. Khattar added that the management of the school will be taken over by the state government for the next three months. “We will write to the CBI requesting them to take over the probe. In addition, the state will take over the management of the school for three months, during which the deputy commissioner will be its administrator,” he said.

Reiterating this point during a press conference in Chandigarh, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said, “At the end of the three months, the situation will be reviewed. If any loopholes are found in the implementation of rules (at the school), the term of the deputy commissioner as administrator can be increased.” He added that the Haryana government has decided to amend the Act related to rules and regulations for safety of students in schools in the ensuing Vidhan Sabha session.

Additional chief secretary, School Education Department, Dr K K Khandelwal added that three-level safety committees at the district, sub-divisional and school level, headed by the deputy commissioner, sub-divisional magistrate and the school head respectively, will also be formed. The lawyer of the main accused, Ashok Kumar, meanwhile said his client has denied any involvement in the murder. “Ashok has said he has not done this. He said police tortured him, used electric current on him, and injections to drug him and make him say this,” alleged Mohit Verma, his lawyer.

“He was told someone else has been imprisoned in this murder, and they will only do a small case on him after which he will be released in two days,” he alleged. Kumar is currently in judicial custody and will be produced in a special court in Gurgaon on Monday.