Child rights panel to move HC in Akkriti case against school

A day after Delhi Government sought suspension of two school staff in the Akkriti Bhatia case, a child's rights body on Thursday said it will move Delhi High Court for registration of criminal case against the school accusing it of negligence on the matter.

"The Commission will soon approach the High Court to seek direction to the police to register a criminal case against Modern School, Vasant Vihar," a source in the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child's Rights said.
    
"A DCPCR enquiry has found that the school authorities are guilty of negligence which led to the death of the child. But despite our recommendations, the police have failed to register a case in the matter," the source said.

Modern School, Vasant Vihar, where the death of Akkriti occurred, has, however, denied any negligence on its part.
    
On Wednesday, Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit had asked the school to suspend a nurse and a teacher, who handled the teenager during her critical time, till a final report on the case comes.
    
"Merely suspending the school staff for the incident, which is of a criminal nature, is not enough. A strong message has to be sent to restore faith among students and parents," the source said.
    
The DCPCR was also critical of the police "apathy" in the matter.

"For some unknown reasons, the police seem to be too reluctant to move the case forward. We are yet to get the action taken report from the police even as the deadline to do so has been expired," the DCPCR source said.
 
Holding the school responsible for the delay in providing medical care to the teenager which led to her death, the child rights body had late last month suggested filing of an FIR against it and sought an action taken report in the matter within seven days.

In its enquiry report submitted to police commissioner YS Dadwal, the DCPCR had said, "The Commission has tentatively come to a conclusion that a case of criminal negligence is made out against the school authorities under 304 (A) (causing death due to negligence)."

The child rights body had constituted a panel following a public outcry over the death of Akkriti as students and the girl's parents had alleged that she died due to "negligence" by the school authorities on April 19.
    
The Commission had sent its two members -- Sarita Sarangi and MM Vidyarthi -- to probe the allegations which were vehemently denied by the school.