SRINAGAR: Police have registered a case against the Saint Joseph’s school in north Kashmir’s Baramulla for jeopardising lives of their students.
A formal complaint was lodged by the parents of a 10th class student Adnan Farooq who was injured during a cycle race organised by the school early this morning.
The school administration has been accused of organising the race from Delina to Baramulla town – a distance of 6km – despite slippery road conditions due to rain.
The school had also not secured the busy national highway that was used as the cycling track.
“I have registered a case against the school as my son who was a participant in the race got grievously injured in the race and even there was no presence of school teachers and he was taken to hospital by people after half an hour,” said Advocate Farooq Ahmad, father of injured student.
Ahmed accused the school of showing a callous approach towards the safety of its students. He says the students who participated in the race were not provided with safety kits, particularly helmets for cycling on the “dangerous” national highway.
“Doctors who examined my son told that he has had a narrow escape. He is being treated at the hospital for fractures. His teeth are also broken,’’ he said.
Many other parents have alleged that their children were “grievously injured” on the highway as nobody from the school kept a check and the students played foul with each other, some of whom fell from the cycles.
Principal of the school, Mr Sebastian said that he had informed the army and police about the event and that they were on the roads along with the school staff. He said he was not worried about the students being injured.
“I don’t have any regrets. We gave the injured students first aid and also got one of them admitted in the hospital and his condition is stable.”
Sebastian accused the parents of injured students of trying to unnecessarily highlight the issue. “I regret that parents have lodged a case against us,’’ he said.
