This is an archive article published on November 10, 2017
Ryan school murder case: Boy who ‘found body’ could not write exam that day
Ryan school murder case: On Wednesday, the CBI had said the 16-year-old boy who found Pradyuman admitted to killing the boy to get a parent-teacher meeting and the exams postponed.
When Pradyuman Thakur was found dead with his throat slit inside the washroom at Ryan International School on September 8, a Class XI student was allegedly the first to notice his body. The student was to write his half yearly exam and was late to school. As Pradyuman’s body was later discovered by the school gardener and teachers, the prime witness in the murder case was asked to write his paper. However, his batchmates said he couldn’t write the exam.
On Wednesday, the CBI had said the 16-year-old boy who found Pradyuman admitted to killing the boy to get a parent-teacher meeting and the exams postponed. Speaking to The Indian Express, the boy’s batchmates said he had been struggling with studies and had failed in a few of his exams during the formative assessment tests held in August.
The student had appeared for the English paper three days before the murder and sat for another exam on that day. “He came late that day. He was trembling and could not write a single answer. Later, he told us he found the boy lying in a pool of blood and had alerted the teachers. He said he was in shock,” his batchmate said, adding, “He seemed to be doing fine a few days after the murder. He would laugh it off whenever someone would ask for more details.” Three more exams were supposed to take place following which a PTM was to be held by the class teacher — one week after the last exam.
Pradyuman’s elder sister, who was studying in Class IV at Ryan International School till before her younger brother was killed, is among the many students at the institution who knew the Class XI student — by name and face — said her father, Barun Thakur. According to Thakur, she remembers the boy as he was fairly popular in school, as a result of his participation in co-curricular activities related to music. “My children never had a conversation with him… but my daughter knew who he was. However, they were in junior school and he in Class XI, so there was not much scope for interaction,” he said.
The teenager played the keyboard. According to classmates, he tried his hand at other instruments like the guitar. “He spent a lot of time in the music room. He had played for the school chairperson in August and was supposed to perform at the Christmas function as well. He would also spend a lot of time talking to his group of friends near the school water cooler,” another student who knew the accused said.
Meanwhile, for the second day in a row, the boy’s three-storey home remained locked. His father did not respond to repeated phone calls and text messages from The Indian Express.
Back to square one, say parents
Parents whose students are still studying at the school said they were more confused and worried since Wednesday. “When they said the conductor was guilty, we were less worried. We knew we could improve the situation by dropping and picking up our children and ensuring the school improves security. Now, we are left with no solutions,” said a parent. Another parent, whose child studies in Class VII, added, “Earlier, we comforted ourselves thinking we can change our children’s schools. We can verify staff and security measures of a school before sending our children, but how do we verify each and every child? There is no way we can protect our children from other students.”
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
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Ryan International School (Files)
