(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Hundreds of protesters clashed with police and burnt down a liquor store in Gurugram yesterday over demands to shut a school where a seven-year-old was killed for resisting a staffer's sexual attack.
Authorities said several people were injured.
Demonstrators attacked the store near the school in Bhondsi after riot police thwarted their attempt to storm the campus.
The body of Pradhuman was found in the Ryan International school's lavatory on Friday with his throat slit with a knife.
Police said a school bus attendant, who was arrested hours after the incident, had admitted attacking the child after he resisted a sexual assault.
Angry parents had tried to storm the campus on Saturday, a day after they vandalised part of the school building to press demands for criminal charges against the school management.
'We had to use force to disperse the protesters after our warning had no effect, Gurugram Police Commissioner Sandeep Khirwar said.
Residents said the shop was targeted because several staff members had been seen previously consuming alcohol during school hours.
Parents have demanded that the school's operating licence be cancelled.
Authorities have ordered it closed until further notice to avoid violence.
The parents of the boy urged the Haryana government to order a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
However, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said strict action would be taken against the school management and that a police probe would be satisfactory.
The child's parents said there could be a deeper 'conspiracy behind the murder.
However, Sharma said the government was not averse to seeking help from other agencies if the parents were not satisfied with the police probe.
'We were protesting peacefully outside the school but police suddenly baton-charged us without any provocation, said a protester.
The child's father Varun Thakur said that though police were doing their duty, the government should order a CBI probe.
'What is wrong if the probe is handed over to the CBI? I believe there was a conspiracy behind the killing of my innocent son, he said.
Pradhuman's mother Jyoti Thakur said the school management 'misguided them after the murder.
'First, we were told ‘your child is injured'.When I reached the school, the principal was speaking to someone on phone and she did not even pay attention to me and tell me about the incident.
She said there could be a 'conspiracy behind the murder and only a CBI inquiry would bring out the truth.
Police late Friday arrested the bus attendant Ashok Kumar, for the killing but many believe he was made a scapegoat.
The man's family too claimed he was falsely implicated since he was poor.
Minister Sharma said investigations were being conducted by a three-member sub-committee formed by the district administration.
'It has found many flaws in the security of students for which the school management is answerable and a detailed report would be submitted by the sub-committee tomorrow, he said.
'Apart from this, there is no boundary wall of the school; there is no separate arrangement of toilets for bus drivers and conductors of 40 buses deployed by the school for bringing the students, and windows in the toilet meant for students were found broken, he said.
Sharma said that on the basis of the report of the sub-committee, police action would be taken against the school management and owner of the school.
'If the parents of the child are still not satisfied, the government would be willing to seek help from any agency. But I feel they will be satisfied when the charge-sheet is presented in the court along with evidence, he added.
The incident has caused widespread anger and sparked concern over safety standards in schools.
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