Hathras education board orders to close school, registers second case over 'human sacrifice'

According to the police, the boy was allegedly murdered on September 23 at the hostel of the school; the police already have arrested the five accused

Hathras Basic Siksha Adhikari (BSA), Swati Bharti, on Friday (September 27, 2024) ordered to close the DL Public School in which an 11-year-old boy was allegedly murdered as part of the 'black magic ritual'.

The school was reportedly being run 'illegally' till class 8 while having recognition till 5th only. Ms. Bharti has also registered a case against the manager of the school on the allegation of murdering the student as part of the black magic for the progress of the school.

According to the police, the boy was allegedly murdered on September 23 at the hostel of the school. The police have arrested the five accused. They are identified as Ramprakash Solanki, Dinesh Baghel, Jashodhan Singh alias Bhagat ji, Laxman Singh, and Virpal Singh alias Viru.

The five accused have been booked under section 103(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sent to judicial custody, said police. Hathras Additional Superintendent of Police, Ashok Kumar Singh, said, "On 23rd September, a student was murdered at the hostel of DL Public School under Sahpau PS. A case was registered under relevant sections on the basis of the statement of the complainant. Five accused, including the owner of the school, have been arrested. They have been sent to judicial custody. Police will take action by investigating all angles."

The parents of the deceased demanded justice, alleging that their boy was 'brutally' murdered. The father of the deceased, Shrikishan Kushwaha, said, "My son was strangled; he was brutally murdered; his neck's bone was broken, his lips turned blue; I want them to be at least hanged to death. I want justice."

Mother of the deceased student, Ms. Kamlesh, grieving the death of her son, said that the bulldozer should be run over the school.

“At 5, I received the call of the school manager telling me that your son’s health is very poor; come here. The school is 6 km from here. I asked them to bring my son here but he refused. But when I called him, on midway, they told me that they had left the school. I called again, and they told me they are in Shahadabad and then said that they are in Khandoli. They have misled me. After 1 and a half hours, Dinesh Bhagel was found with my son’s body in a vehicle. He was intoxicated. One more person was involved, Laxman Sing, but he was not in the vehicle,” said Mr. Kushwaha.

Mr. Kushwaha demanded a SIT investigation of the matter.

Published - September 28, 2024 11:40 am IST