A court here has ordered prosecution of six persons, including the authorities of a south Delhi-based private school where a six-year-old boy was found dead in a water reservoir in 2006, for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Devansh Kakrora, a student of class I, was found dead in January, 2016 in the reservoir under the amphitheatre of Ryan International School in South Delhi. The initial post-mortem report had suggested he died of drowning.
The court said that prima facie there were ingredients available for constitution of the offence under section 304 part II of IPC, (if act is done with knowledge that it is likely to cause death, but without any intention to cause death).
If convicted, the accused may get a maximum punishment of 10 years.
Metropolitan Magistrate Ambika Singh said the case file and documents show that water tank was maintained in the school with easy excess to children. "It was in fact, left unattended."
"There was no signage or caution board and no caretaker or guard was deputed there to prevent the entry of children. The opening was covered with temporary stone slab. Though, there should have been some iron grill cover having lock.
"Further, as per the report of CFSL team, the opening of the water tank is large enough that the child could fall even when the cover of the water tank was partially closed. There are evidence against the accused persons," the court said.
Those against whom the court ordered prosecution include school administrator Francis Thomas, its maintenance incharge, the school principal, the victim's class teacher, gardener and pump operator. "The material on record definitely disclose grave suspicion against the accused persons," the court said.
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