He wanted to be a fighter pilot, says family of schoolboy who died after being thrashed by seniors

The grieving family of a 12-year-old schoolboy, who passed away at a city hospital days after reportedly being assaulted by his seniors, revealed that the young boy aspired to become a fighter pilot.

The incident unfolded at a government school in the Shastri Nagar area of north Delhi on January 11, leading to the boy’s demise on January 20. The post-mortem examination was conducted on Tuesday.

Expressing condolences, the Delhi government stated that their hearts go out to the family, emphasising the tragic nature of the incident. The family of the deceased is calling for strict action against those responsible.

Vinod Sharma, the victim’s grandfather, lamented, “My grandchild had dreams of becoming a fighter pilot, but our aspirations have been shattered. After the post-mortem on Tuesday evening, we are returning home following his cremation.”

Sharma mentioned that the family, including the child’s father, had visited the government school on multiple occasions, and the school principal had assured them of taking appropriate action.

“We send our children to school with the expectation that they will become good human beings. It was the responsibility of the school teachers and principal to ensure the well-being of our child,” Sharma expressed.

Police reported that they are awaiting the post-mortem reports to determine the actual cause of the child’s death before filing an FIR.

A senior police officer stated, “The post-mortem has been conducted, and the body was handed over to the family. Legal action will be taken in accordance with the findings of the report.”

The victim’s father, Rahul Sharma, claimed that his son had been assaulted by seniors at the school, resulting in injuries to his leg.

“On January 11, when my son, a Class VI student, returned home, he was limping and in extreme pain. I inquired about the matter, but he did not say anything,” recounted Sharma.

According to him, the child was initially taken to a hospital where he received medication and was advised to rest. However, his health deteriorated, leading the family to take him to another hospital in Rohini, where he succumbed on January 20.

The victim’s mother appealed to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for strict action against the accused, expressing her anguish over the absence of CCTV cameras in the school.

“I urge CM Kejriwal to bring my son back, whom I entrusted to a government school. I still don’t know what happened to my son due to the lack of CCTV cameras in the school,” she implored.

In response, the Delhi government clarified in a statement, “The alleged incident took place outside the school’s premises, and the requested CCTV footage has been obtained. A swift inquiry has already been initiated, with a report expected from the committee within two days and a formal report from the school head to be submitted by Tuesday.”

“The Delhi government is actively implementing necessary measures, including counseling for students, to promote a positive mindset and prevent potential unforeseen incidents,” the statement added.

(With PTI inputs)