Victim’s kin protest to seek his whereabouts, child is stable in ICU: Udaipur police

The relatives of a 15-year-old boy, who was recently stabbed by his classmate on the premises of a government school in Udaipur city of Rajasthan staged a protest on Aug 19 claiming they were not allowed to meet the victim at the hospital.

Police denied the allegation claiming two family members were asked to visit the child in the ICU and the relatives held protests after being carried away by rumors.

“The child is stable and teams of doctors from Kota and Jaipur are monitoring him. Their family has no information about their child due to some confusion. They were briefed on all the developments,” said district collector Arvind Poswal.

“The family was provided with medical officers' contact numbers, so they can speak to them whenever they wish. I have asked two of them to come with me and visit the child in the ICU,” he added.

The officer urged people to cooperate with the police to help them restore peace in the area.

The stabbing incident at the government school on Aug 16 triggered communal tension in the city as the victim is a Hindu and the accused belongs to the Muslim community. The accused also aged 15, and his father have been detained for questioning. The police is investigating how the accused student carried a dagger to school.

“They have killed my son. Now, the administration is not allowing us to meet him,” the victim’s mother alleged. She led a rally of women from Mukherjee Nagar Chowk, an area largely inhabited by Muslims.

Raising slogans to seek justice, the protesters arrived at Maharana Bhupal (MB) hospital, where the boy was undergoing treatment. They were demanding that the family be allowed to meet the victim. As district collector Poswal reached the spot, an argument broke out between two sides after the protesters alleged the victim had succumbed to injuries and the family was being kept in the dark.

‘Argument over homework’

Earlier on Aug 16, the victim and the accused argued over homework, and the former was stabbed by the latter, according to the police.

The incident triggered a series of violent protests as a mob torched and vandalized at least five vehicles and pelted stones on government buildings, prompting the administration to impose prohibitory orders. The authorities also suspended internet services in some parts to restore order.

Meanwhile, the Udaipur authorities on Aug 17 demolished the rented house of the accused boy, alleging it was illegally built on government land and it took the step “to send a message to the criminals”.

The owner of the house, Rashid Khan, was sent a notice barely a few hours before the demolition.

“I had no role in this case. After the incident, I told the family to vacate the house,” Khan said, according to Hindustan Times.

A case has been registered under sections 109, 115, and 126 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the investigations are ongoing. At least 20 people have been detained so far for the arson and clashes, police said.