By IANS
Gurgaon : A Class 8 student of an elite Gurgaon school was shot dead Tuesday when two of his classmates pumped three bullets into him in a shocking outbreak of violence reminiscent of shootouts in US schools.
The firing occurred in the Euro International School, which claims to be an institution of international stature, in Sector 45 close to the national capital, well after school hours, police said.
Abhishek Tyagi, 14, had just climbed down the stairs to the ground floor to board the school bus back home when he was allegedly shot dead by two classmates, Aakash and Vikas, police said. Tyagi lay dead in a pool of blood on the stairs, with two bullets in the chest and one in the forehead.
The incident happened when most of the other children had left, with police surmising that the assailants may have known that Abhishek had stayed back for some reason and lay in wait for him at the bottom of the stairs.
The duo collectively fired five rounds and out of three hit Tyagi, said Gurgaon Police Commissioner Mahender Lal, adding that Aakash fired four shots while Vikas fired one.
“It is unclear that whether bullet fired by Vikas hit the deceased or not. Forensic experts are working on it. We have detained both the students. The licensed revolver used in the crime, belonged to Aakash father, has been seized,” Lal said.
He blamed school authorities and parents for the firing and killing of Tyagi.
“If school principal or teachers have acted on time, the mishap could have been avoided. The accused students in their interrogation revealed that Tyagi used to often beat them and threatened them to kill. They had complained about this to their teachers and principal but nothing happened and out of fear and anger the killed him.
“It is also a grave mistake of Aakash’s father who kept the revolver in reach of the children. People should really think about it,” Lal added.
Tyagi was rushed to Pushpanjali Hospital where he was declared brought dead.
“Tyagi was brought to the hospital with three bullets in his body. Our doctors declared him brought dead,” said Nishi Srivastva, spokesperson of the hospital.
Upon hearing the news, relatives and family members of the dead boy flocked to the hospital.
“I have no idea how this incident took place,” said Ravindra Tyagi, father of the killed boy.
According to the school chairperson Satyavir Yadav: “Tyagi sustained three bullets – two in the chest and one in the head.”
“We never check bags of each and every student before they enter the school. The firing could be the result of personal vendetta. Students fighting over minuscule issues are common everywhere, but we never expected that it could result in this,” Yadav said.
“This is the first such incident. We would have taken action if we were aware of the personal row between the students. We are shocked how this could have occurred. We are also investigating the matter,” Yadav added.
Euro International School, an institute of international stature and one of the best schools in Gurgaon, aims at creating a community of well-groomed individuals, its website claims.
Spread over 6,000 sq metres of lush green play areas, the school has an earthquake proof construction plan with total fire protection and close circuit cameras to monitor the activity of children in and outside the classrooms, the website goes on to add.
Gurgaon is a booming suburb of New Delhi that is home to international IT companies, call centres and shopping malls. The shift in population of thousands of professionals and their families to Gurgaon has led to many big schools, hospitals, commercial buildings and luxury condominiums dotting the sub-city’s landscape.