Jaipur teen dies ‘after eating patties’ in school, parents say treatment was delayed

Alleging that the death is “suspicious” and a result of gross negligence by the school, Amit wrote in his complaint that there is “a hospital right in front of the school, and if he had been taken there on time or the 108 Ambulance had been called, he could have been saved.”

He alleged that the school principal was also in his office but did not come to take care of the child. “There was no medical care room or first aid in the school. I suspect that the school administration did not take my son to the hospital immediately with the intention of hiding his real condition. The school’s CCTV and food sample of the canteen should be collected,” Amit alleged.

The FIR has been filed under BNS section 106 (causing death by negligence) at Jhotwara police station. Sub-inspector Kamlesh Kumar Saini, the investigating officer, said that a post-mortem was conducted and that there will be more clarity once the report is received. “We are questioning people, but there have been no arrests so far. The school said that the child’s health deteriorated and they informed the parents,” Saini said.

The child’s mother, Nirmala Soni, said, “He left for school around 7:30 am and was completely fine. I had prepared his favourite daliya for breakfast. I got a call from my husband that he was unwell and that I would have to go. Amit was told to take him on a four-wheeler, not a two-wheeler. He then arranged a four-wheeler for me, and I went to the school.”

Amit said he was away, so he had asked his wife to go instead. “The school didn’t inform me that he had fainted. It was only in the third or fourth call that they told me this,” he alleged.

Nirmala claimed that once inside the school, the staff wasn’t helpful and that she was made to run around and had to ask students for directions.

She said that once she finally reached her son and touched him, his hands and body were cold and his face was pale. “I can’t express how I was then… I asked them why they were waiting for me, that they could have taken him to a doctor and I would have reached there. There were two vehicles in the school.”

She claimed that instead of the main gate, she was made to exit through another gate. “They asked the person with me to bring the car to the other gate. So he had to drive and bring the car there,” she claimed.

“He used to have a hearty meal at home and didn’t take tiffin with him to school… he rarely ate in the school canteen. He used to then eat at home after returning from school,” she said.

On Friday, a candle march was held in Jaipur, with the Sanyukt Abhibhavak Sangh demanding justice for the boy and alleging that he was served stale food.