Anger and grief spilled onto the streets on Tuesday morning as parents gathered outside Maharishi Vidya Mandir School in Naktala to protest the death of eight year old Ayush Nath, a Class III student who died after spending 12 days in a coma. Parents demanded accountability from the school authorities, alleging lapses in student care and safety. The protest comes after Ayush’s death and amid growing allegations by his family that the school failed to respond appropriately when the child fell ill on campus.
According to Ayush’s family, the eight year old went to school on May 13, like any other normal day. His mother alleged that soon after reaching school, Ayush informed teachers that he was feeling unwell. However, despite his condition, he was allegedly made to attend classes throughout the day.
“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.
The family claims that no one from the school informed them about his illness. Ayush’s mother alleged that he was kept in school for six periods despite repeatedly feeling sick. According to her, the child later attempted to come down the staircase carrying his heavy school bag and fell, reportedly hitting his head against a wall. She said the details were later shared by Ayush’s classmates and friends.
Ayush’s father said that when he arrived at the school during dismissal time, he received a call asking him to come to the staff room. There, he found his son in a nearly unconscious state. He alleged that the child’s clothes and body were wet and that teachers were trying to revive him by slapping his cheeks. The family further claimed that they were never informed that Ayush had allegedly fallen inside the school premises.
“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. 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,” the father reported.
The child was immediately taken to SSKM Hospital, Kolkata. According to the family, doctors later detected internal bleeding in his brain. His condition deteriorated rapidly, and he slipped into a coma. Despite undergoing treatment for nearly two weeks, Ayush died on Sunday.
The grieving family has alleged that the school failed to inform them when their son first became ill, did not provide adequate assistance, and did not disclose the alleged fall when doctors sought details of the incident. They have also claimed that no representative of the school contacted them following the child’s death.
Following the tragedy, Ayush’s parents filed a written complaint with Netaji Nagar police station, seeking an investigation into the circumstances surrounding their son’s death. Police have begun an inquiry and have collected CCTV footage from the school premises. Statements from the parents and school authorities are expected to form part of the investigation. Authorities are also awaiting the post mortem report.
The incident has triggered anger among several parents of students studying at the school. On Tuesday, groups of parents gathered outside the school and staged a protest, alleging that concerns regarding student care and safety had been ignored for a long time. Protesters demanded accountability and a thorough investigation into the matter.
Meanwhile, the school has rejected the allegations made by the family. Principal Susmita Chakraborty denied claims of negligence and disputed the family’s version of events, including allegations that the child suffered injuries after falling on the school premises.
“Ayush was absolutely fine that day,” Susmita Chakraborty told The Telegraph, “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 said.
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. We take utmost care of our students, and there is no way any one of them is neglected.” the principal said.
As the investigation continues, police are examining CCTV footage, witness statements, medical records, and the post mortem findings to determine exactly what happened on May 13. 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 death of the young student has left a family shattered and has reignited concerns about emergency response procedures and student welfare in schools.
