In the background a student killed by school mate in the school premises in Ahmedabad, now viral videos of two students of a private school being assaulted by their hostel mates at Alpha International School in Junagadh in two different assault incidents has re-ignited the issue of safety in schools in Gujarat. The assaults reportedly took place in August.
According to sources and parents of the victims, the incidents were not reported by either the students nor the hostel authorities but came to light only after assault videos went viral recently. Parents not aware of the case have now filed a police complaint.
The parents of the two victims alleged a cover-up by the school authorities even as the hostel management claimed they are yet to receive a complaint on the matter. Four students have so far been charged under the Juvenile Justice Act.
The incidents took place at the Alpha International School hostel. The immediate reason behind both the assaults could not be ascertained.
A 38-second clip of one of the incidents showed two students thrashing a fellow student, who first struggles to save himself while laying on a bed, before he is picked up and pinned onto a cabinet and the assault then continues. Two students present inside the room are seen first being remain mute spectators but then trying to defuse the tension as the matter escalates. Another student, who is not visible in the video, is heard urging one of the accused to not assault the victim.
A 80-second clip of another incident shows another student getting thrashed in a similar manner in another room of the same hostel. The victim tries to cover his head with his hands but two students manage to overpower him and thrash him. They slap and kick him continuously as a third accused helps them.
The sources said both the incidents took place on the same day last month. Those involved are believed to be Class 12 students.
The parents of both the victims have filed a police complaint. One of them said his son was traumatised by the incident but did not approach his family. He, instead, returned home on the pretext of feeling unwell, the parent said.
“My son used to study here. A month ago, he was beaten up by five boys but neither did he nor did the hostel authorities inform me of the incident. I came here as soon as I found out. We demand strict action against the accused students,” he said.
G P Kathi, the hostel owner, said he wasn’t aware of the assaults till the videos surfaced. “As soon as the videos surfaced, I told all the students to refrain from such acts. I also told the students to inform me about such incidents in the future. We are yet to receive any complaint from the parents.”
Superintendent of Police Subodh Odedara said a special committee has been formed to probe the assaults. “More such videos from the premises have surfaced. We have spoken to the collector and he has formed a committee to oversee the matter and submit a report. Action will then be taken accordingly,” he said.
Also Read: Class 10 Student Fatally Stabbed By Schoolmate In Ahmedabad https://www.vibesofindia.com/class-10-student-fatally-stabbed-by-schoolmate-in-ahmedabad/
