Ryan murder: 2 school officials arrested, angry parents demand CBI probe

Seven-year-old Pradhuman's parents said there could be a deeper conspiracy behind his murder

A police officer was suspended on Monday for using force against journalists covering a protest outside the Ryan International School over the murder of a seven-year-old student, authorities said.

"Inspector Arun Kumar, chief of Sohna police station, has been suspended with immediate effect for his lapse in duties," a senior official said.

At least 50 people, including nine scribes and photo journalists, were injured on Sunday when police baton-charged the group of protesters outside the school building located in Bhondsi on Sohna road.

A liquor vend near the school was also set on fire.

Angry protesters have staged demonstrations outside the school located in Bhondsi on Sohna road since the victim, Pradhuman, was found with his throat slit inside a school washroom on the morning of September 8.

Meanwhile, two senior Ryan International School officials were also arrested.

"Francis Thomas, the school's northern India head, and Jeyus Thomas, coordinator and Human Resource (HR) head, were arrested late Sunday night under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act," a senior police officer told IANS.

The parents of seven-year-old Pradhuman, who was murdered in Ryan International School, urged the Haryana government to have the CBI investigate the brutal killing even as state Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said strict action would be taken against the school management and that police probe would be satisfactory.

The child's parents said there could be a deeper "conspiracy" behind the murder.

However, Sharma added that the government was not averse to seeking help from other agencies if the parents of the slain child were not satisfied with the police probe and chargesheet.

Pradhuman, a Class 2 student, was found dead on Friday by a school staffer in the washroom on the school campus in Bhondsi area near Gurugram city with a slit throat. The boy's family resides in the Maruti Kunj Society in the same area.

Police late on Friday arrested Ashok Kumar, conductor of a school bus, 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.