Student Stabbed To Death Inside A Classroom At An Aakash Centre In Haryana

A 16-year-old student was allegedly stabbed to death by a fellow student (minor) inside a CCTV-monitored classroom of Aakash Institute in Panipat, Haryana, on Friday (November 3).

The accused student, who had an altercation with the victim before the tragic incident, has been apprehended by the Panipat Police and sent to an observation home after being produced in a juvenile court, ThePrint reported. He has been booked under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, the victim’s family has alleged that the institute allegedly misinformed them about the incident and delayed providing medical attention to the deceased. The family has submitted a written complaint to the police, seeking the constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case.

Inc42 has reached out to Aakash and BYJU’S on the matter and the story will be updated as and when the company responds. 

Meanwhile, in a statement, the offline coaching centre chain told ThePrint that it was ‘swift’ in its response and ensured that ‘the student was given immediate medical attention by facilitating their transfer to the nearest healthcare centre’. The company also told the publication that it was cooperating with law enforcement agencies and would continue to do so.

“The police have recovered the murder weapon (a knife) and an investigation is underway. “We have received a letter from the father of the victim in which he has alleged complicity of the coaching institute and we have attached the complaint in the case,” Panipat City DSP Satish Kumar Gautam said.

“We have found through CCTV footage that the stabbing occurred at 5.40 PM in five minutes and we have asked for the entire footage to understand what transpired in the aftermath of the stabbing,” the cop added.

The family has also levelled other accusations against the institute. The victim’s father was cited by ThePrint as saying that the institute was ‘irresponsible in its acts’ after his son was stabbed, and had the administration responded promptly, he would have been alive.

He added that he was ‘misled’ by the institute as their staff told him that the stabbing occurred outside the institute and it was only after his elder brother reached the hospital that he got to know that the fight had taken place inside the classroom. 

According to the CCTV footage reviewed by the police and seen by ThePrint, the victim and the accused were inside a classroom of the institute when the incident happened.

The father of the victim also alleged that the staff at the education centre tried to doctor the evidence, though this cannot be confirmed. However, a police officer said that as soon as his team was informed about the incident, it rushed to the site and the crime scene was preserved.

The stabbing allegedly occurred at around 5.40 PM on Friday at a Panipat centre of Aakash Institute. Another officer, cited by ThePrint, claimed that the accused had ‘confessed’ to bearing grudges against the victim over an earlier incident.