The parents of a Class III student who died on Sunday at SSKM Hospital after being in coma for 11 days have lodged a complaint against the school authorities alleging negligence.
Ayush Kumar Nath’s parents allege that on May 13, the day the boy took ill, he had repeatedly informed the teachers at Maharishi Vidyamandir in Bansdroni on the southern end of Kolkata that he was unwell.
“He was made to sit on the last bench near the windows for hours. We did not know anything about his condition till he fell down the stairs,” Ashish Kumar Nath, the boy’s father, told The Telegraph Online.
Around 11.30am on May 13, the last day before the summer vacations, when the students were on their way out, the boy fell down and suffered head injuries, the parents said.
“They picked up my son and kept him on a bench near the principal’s office, and then we were informed about his accident. We took him to the hospital afterwards,” said the father.
“They had thoroughly washed his head before we reached the school. We could not see any blood, but his head had swollen, and his forehead had turned blue. The back of his head had also swollen.”
Ayush Kumar Nath
By the time Ayush was taken to SSKM Hospital, he had slipped into a coma. He passed away on Sunday.
According to a preliminary diagnosis, doctors reported internal bleeding in the brain. The body was sent for postmortem examination on Sunday evening; the report is awaited.
“Neither the school council nor [principal] Susmita Chakraborty bothered to inquire after my son’s death. We contacted his class teacher, but she too refused to speak on this matter,” Nath said.
On Sunday, the parents lodged a complaint with the Netaji Nagar police station.
Abhijit Adhikari, the investigating officer of the case, told The Telegraph Online that CCTV footage from the school was secured on Monday morning.
“An investigation is underway. We will take the statements of the parents and the school principal. Analysis of the CCTV footage needs more time,” Adhikari said.
The principal denied that Ayush had fallen and sustained injuries on the school premises.
“Ayush was absolutely fine that day,” Susmita Chakraborty told The Telegraph Online, “He had been on sick leave for quite some time.
“The attendants even helped him carry his heavy bag to the school gate, where his father came to pick him up,” the principal added.
She said that the school had already submitted the CCTV footage to the police and was awaiting a fair investigation.
“I do not understand why Ayush’s parents are trying to defame us,” the principal said.
“We take utmost care of our students, and there is no way any one of them is neglected.”