Demanding a CBI investigation, the father of six-year-old Devansh, who was found dead in the water tank at Ryan International School’s Vasant Kunj branch on January 30, alleged on Saturday that his son was sexually assaulted before being killed.
Indicating that the child had been sodomised, Ramheet Meena, in a letter to lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, alleged that there were injury marks on the boy’s private parts and cotton swabs had been stuffed in the child’s anal passage.
However, citing preliminary reports police ruled out any possibility of sexual assault. A senior officer said the body had no external injuries.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who has the education portfolio, said there were enough indications to suggest that it was a “heinous crime” and promised action against the guilty.
“The observations of the parents are being ignored that the private parts of the child had cotton in them. The report is indicating towards a heinous crime. And saying that he had a disorder amounts to running away from responsibilities,” Sisodia told reporters
Police on Saturday sent notices to Ryan International Group’s Chief Administrative Officer Ryan Pinto and northern zone head Francis Thomas seeking details about the underground reservoir in the school where Devansh’s body was found floating last month.
An official privy to the investigation said they have also been asked about the “charter of duty” related to responsibilities of the staff members employed by the school’s management and the protocol to be followed in times of emergency.
He said that central forensic teams and senior police officials conducted a thorough inspection of the spot thrice. “During investigation it also came to light that children often went near the water reservoir as some objects were found floating in the water tank, which had no cautionary signs nearby. Fortunately for all no untoward incidents had taken place in the school until Devansh’s case,” the senior officer said.
Earlier in the day, Ramheet in a letter, once again accused the school principal Sandhya Sabu of threatening the family and asking them to remain quiet over the issue. Demanding a CBI probe and cancellation of the school’s license Ramheet said: “There was sexual assault. He was done to death. I saw the body. There were some injury marks on his private parts and cotton was stuffed in his anal passage. We are demanding a CBI probe to find out how he reached that unapproachable place which is often locked. My child was taken intentionally to the spot by someone to commit the terrible crime of sodomy. However desired investigation has not been done in the case.”
Giving the chronology of events Ramheet wrote: “At 1:34 pm I got a call from the school stating that my child had suffered minor injuries, after which I rushed to the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. I found my child’s naked body on a bench with no-one taking responsibility for his condition. I tried rubbing his feet and palms to revive him, but the hospital staff told me that he was brought dead. I was the one who asked the hospital staff to call the police, following which a police team arrived at the hospital.”
In his letter, Ramheet has pointed fingers at the school authorities and the police’s role in the investigation. “When my son’s classmates had informed his class teacher at 9:30 am that Devansh was missing then why did the search for him begin at 12:00 pm,” he wrote.
Ramheet further raised questions about the fact that the CCTVs in the school could not track and record the child’s movements and wrote: “How could the CCTVs not record Devansh’s movement near the water tank.”
Earlier, a magisterial probe ordered by the Delhi Government into the case said the “deliberate” inaction by the school authorities amounted to “gross criminal negligence” which led to the death of the child. It slammed the authorities for “insinuating” that he was a special kid.
The school principal had claimed that Devansh was a “hyperactive” child who had the “tendency” of running away from the classroom. The probe report also said that the teachers and other staff at Ryan International School risked the life of a class XI student, Prajwal Sehrawat, as he jumped into the reservoir to pull out the child’s body. SDM Sonal Swaroop, who conducted the probe recommended Prajwal’s name for a bravery award.