Across city, anger and helplessness

GURUGRAM: Protests were held across different parts of the city by parents of nearly a dozen schools, including those from Ryan International, Bhondsi, demanding action against school administration for the murder of a seven-year-old student, and seeking better measures at school campuses for safety of students.

On Sunday morning, almost 200 parents from several schools, including Ryan International School, Bhondsi, gathered outside the school building. Things turned ugly after the protest was joined by other participants, including a senior MP from Bihar, after which police action resulted in a number of injuries to parents and media persons.

Parents told TOI they want firm action against the culprits and safety for children.

In Leisure Valley Park, Sector 29, over 150 parents from different schools, including Ryan International School, Sector 40 and Sector 31, demanded strict action and audits of the safety measures that school is employing. Parents from schools, including Salwan Public School, Ryan International, Sector 40 and 31, Blue Bells School, and DPS Sector 45, also took out a candle light vigil.

“It is very difficult to trust schools,” said Atul Kumar, a parent from Ryan International, Sector 40. “As a parent, I am very insecure. It is impossible to trust the school. My son is constantly asking me questions to which I have no answers. If this can happen to a seven-year-old, it can happen to anyone.”

A parent of a student from Ryan International, Bhondsi, alleged that the suspended principal Neerja Barta was in-charge of two Ryan branches. “She was the principal of two schools at the same time. Obviously it would have impacted the management,” a parent said, requesting anonymity.

At around 4pm, parents from over 5-6 different schools held a march from Sohna Chowk to the office of the divisional commissioner D Suresh. The parents met sub-divisional magistrate Bharat Bhushan before meeting separately with state minister Rao Narbir Singh.

“The incident is horrific,” said Rajdeep Kaur, a parent from Blue Bells Model School, Gurgaon. “Parents from many schools have joined us. There are parents from Salwan Public School, Ryan International, Sector 40 and 31, Blue Bells School, DPS Sector 45.”

Parents also said they had raised the issue of security in schools with the administration for months. “We tried to wake the government up to this menace. We have been asking them to conduct safety audit in schools. Had it been carried out at that time, things would not have come to the point that they have today,” said

Chintan Sharma

, another parent.