Delhi government orders schools to prepare safety reports

A day after the death of a six-year-old boy after falling into an open septic tank at a private school, the Delhi government on Sunday ordered all schools in the city to prepare a "safety report" within a month.

The government's order came after an emergency meeting held by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and officials of the Directorate of Education on security arrangements for students in government and private schools.

Sisodia said schools should be safe for students.

"Yesterday's (Saturday's) incident has shocked me. How could an innocent child die while roaming around in a school campus?"

"By next month, every school will prepare a safety report and based on these reports, I will personally inspect these schools," he added.

The city government also decided to form a task force to verify the arrangements in the schools, officials said.

Dewansh Kakrora, a Class 1 student, was found dead in a water reservoir at Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj in south Delhi on Saturday afternoon.

Police on Sunday continued to question the school authorities, including principal Sandhya Sabu.

A first information report (FIR) has been filed against the school authorities on charges of negligence under the Indian Penal Code.

The Delhi government had on Saturday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the case.