Seated inside their makeshift one-room home, Sagar was fuming after being released from detention on the evening of December 4. However, it was not the police action that worried him but the disrespect towards his now-deceased son. “My son died and everyone stayed silent. The police only took action when we put more pressure on them. But I want to ask them, what did my son do wrong?”
“When they handed over my son’s body, we thought we would conduct his last rites as per traditions. But the police led me to a crematorium at Green Park, directing me to cremate my son there,” he alleged.
Sagar and his neighbours were detained on December 4 when they took to the streets. The accusations of a police “cover-up” led the neighbourhood to erupt in protest. The deceased’s family members are struggling emotionally and financially, as getting someone to raise their voice on the legal front is a measure they cannot afford to pursue.
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The police denied the allegations, stating they are working to complete the investigation. “Based on the investigation, a 12-year-old minor was apprehended. However, the investigation is ongoing and the autopsy report is awaited,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police, South West, Surendra Chaudhary.
It was on December 3 that Prince was rushed to Fortis Hospital after an altercation with a classmate left him critically injured. Doctors declared him dead on arrival. The incident reportedly occurred when Prince and the classmate collided, provoking the latter to attack him.
For the grieving parents, however, the tragedy was compounded by the school’s silence. “Even for small issues, the school immediately informs us,” Sagar said. “But when my son’s life was in danger, they took him to the hospital without saying a word to us. No one from the school has come to see us since.”
The private school, Chinmaya Vidyalaya in Vasant Vihar, has remained silent on the issue. The Patriot reached out to the school; however, no response was received.
According to the parents, it is the school itself that has allegedly pressured the police into covering up the incident. “The situation is such that nobody from across Delhi would stand with us since we are poor. Our caste does not help either; nobody really thinks about us. It is clear that the school does not want it to spread any further than it already has,” said Neetu.
Neetu is a homemaker, while Sagar works as a plumber who occasionally also cleans drains. Both share similar feelings of grief and frustration now: “I have my other son to look after too, but after this, a part of my world is absolutely ruined. It is clear now that neither the school considered us as one of their own, and the police have been indifferent,” she said. Her husband remarked, “It is a painful memory when we were handed over his body. I could not believe what I saw in front of me. He was a smart student, which just makes it seem improbable that he was caught in such a scuffle.”
Owing to the financial difficulties at home, Prince had been admitted under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota after multiple attempts. “We don’t have much, but we wanted to give our children opportunities. Now, even that dream is gone,” Sagar said.
Earlier, in a written communication to parents, the principal stated, “Police are investigating the case, and the school is fully cooperating. Classes will remain suspended until further notice and will continue online.” Beyond this statement, the school has not addressed the parents’ concerns or taken responsibility for the lapse in communication.
The community of Kusumpur Pahadi, where the family previously lived, protested outside the school, demanding justice. Protesters alleged police used excessive force to disperse them, including lathi-charge. “Instead of helping secure justice, the police lathi-charged us,” said a statement from the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), which joined the demonstration. A purported video of the protest showed police personnel manhandling protestors gathered outside the school gate.
“They evicted us from the spot. Some started hitting, but there were no female police officers in sight,” said one of the neighbours on the condition of anonymity.
A case under Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the BNS was filed against the accused classmate, who was taken into custody from his house in Munirka. According to police, CCTV footage between 8 AM and 8.30 AM showed him pushing Prince against a wall and strangling him. However, police have stated they are still investigating whether the deceased had any underlying ailment, as he had reportedly been frothing at the mouth after collapsing.
For the parents, the school’s inaction remains an unbearable betrayal. “They could have called us. They could have done something. But they didn’t. And now our son is gone,” Sagar said.
