Police send notices to top officials of Ryan Group over student's death

Delhi Police has sent notices to two top officials of Ryan Group, querying them on the underground reservoir in its school where Devansh's body was found and guidelines for handling any emergency, even as it ruled out the possibility of sexual assault on the boy.

"Notices have been sent under relevant CrPC provisions... We have sought information on the charter of duty and construction of the underground water reservoir where the boy was found dead," DCP (South) Prem Nath said today.

The notices were sent yesterday to Ryan International Group's Chief Administrative Officer Ryan Pinto and northern zone head Francis Thomas, a senior officer said.

He also ruled out the possibility of sexual assault on the basis of the initial post-mortem report and investigation so far. Earlier in the day, Devansh's father alleged that there were injury marks on his body including private parts.

"The case was registered based on the statement of the child's father. The matter is being probed from all possible angles. Negligence has come to fore, on the basis of which we have arrested five persons so far. Further investigation is underway," Prem Nath said, adding the final post-mortem report is still awaited.

On Thursday, the police had arrested the principal, a class teacher and three non-teaching staff of Ryan International School in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj under charges of negligence causing the death of Class 1 student Devansh Kakrora at a water reservoir under the school's amphitheatre on January 30.

An official privy to the investigation said the questions on the "charter of duty" are related to responsibilities of the staff members employed by the school's management and the protocol to be followed at times of emergency.

Renewing his demand for a CBI probe, Devansh's father Ramheet Meena said, "I saw the body. There were some injury marks and cotton on his private parts. The principal has been threatening me since the beginning saying that keeping quiet will be good for me."

The senior officer said the boy's body apparently had no external injuries. Central forensic teams and senior police officials conducted detailed inspection of the spot thrice.

During investigation it also came to light that children often went near the water reservoir, which had no cautionary signages nearby but no untoward incidents had taken place place until Devansh's case, he said.

Meanwhile, it also emerged that the school was yet to obtain a completion certificate from the authorities concerned for its alleged deviance from the approved plan in connection with the Vasant Kunj building.

"We have also sought information from the Delhi Development Authority regarding the matter," the officer said, adding the police are also investigating whether evidences were tampered with.

"If something like that arises, relevant sections will be added in the existing FIR," he added.

Delhi Government today said, the magisterial probe into the death of Devansh indicates towards a "heinous crime" and the investigations so far have "ignored" the observations of the child's parents.

"The observation of the parents are being ignored that the private parts of the child had cotton on them. The report is indicating towards a heinous crime. And saying that he had a disorder amounts to running away from responsibilities," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters.

Sisodia also termed as conspiratorial the alleged attempts on the part of the school management to betray an impression that the six-year-old was a "special child".