Class 11 Ryan student confesses to killing Pradyuman: CBI

Gurgaon: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday told a Gurgaon court that the class 11 student who has been apprehended in connection with the murder of Pradyuman Thakur, has confessed to his involvement in the crime.

Body of Pradyuman Thakur, with his throat slit, was found in a pool of blood in the toilet of Ryan International School in Gurgaon on September 8.

A Gurgaon court had on Wednesday sent the accused to the custody of the CBI for three days.

The CBI apprehended the Class 11 student of Ryan International School on Tuesday after questioning 125 students of Class 10, 11 and 12 for several weeks. Parents were also called for every questioning. The investigating agency also collected blood samples of these students, according media reports.

Read: Ryan murder case: 125 senior students questioned, blood samples taken by CBI

"Our children were interrogated at school and they had to provide their blood samples too. A lot of senior students from my child's class were also questioned regarding the murder," Pramod Kamboj, father a student, told NDTV.

During questioning sessions, it was revealed that the apprehended student was the first to inform the gardener about Pradyuman's body in the toilet. It was also found that the boy was seen carrying a knife two days before the murder. However, the school authorities took no action against the student.

Read: Sickening to find violence is cool nowadays: Renuka Shahane on Pradyuman murder

The CBI had apprehended the teen around midnight on Tuesday on the basis of CCTV, forensic and scientific evidence. He was repeatedly questioned before being taken into custody.

According to the agency, the 16-year-old student, believed to be weak in his studies, allegedly slit Pradyuman's throat to get the school to declare a holiday in order to defer a scheduled parent-teacher meeting (PTM) and an examination.

Read: Throat slit, 7-yr-old Gurgaon boy found dead at Ryan International School

Earlier on Wednesday, Pradyuman's family had demanded strict punishment for the accused student.

They also expressed suspicion about the involvement of school authorities in "destruction of evidence" and sought that the top management officials of the school be questioned by the CBI in the matter. 

"We demand strict punishment for the class XIth student. The (Juvenile Justice) Board also has the option of having him tried as an adult. The CBI has apprehended him based on evidence and we will assist the CBI and the court to ensure he is not allowed to go scot-free, is tried as an adult and hanged till death," Sushil Tekriwal, the lawyer reresenting the victim's family, told reporters. 

The family accused the local police of botching up the investigation and said the Central Bureau of Investigatioon meticulously collected circumstantial evidences and facts. 

They also alleged a larger conspiracy behind the murder and said that they want the CBI to file a charge sheet soon. 

The father of deceased child, also expressed satisfaction with the CBI's progress in the case and demanded that all others involved in the conspiracy be brought to book. 

"The kind of story which had come from the police initially was not believable. However, the CBI has apprehended this class XIth student and the reasons given by them justify it. 

"However, all those whose negligence led to my son's murder should also be questioned. They should be given strict punishment so that it sends out a positive message that no one can go scot-free after committing such a heinous crime," he said.

However, the accused student’s parents refuted the allegations and said that their son is being framed.

The police had initially arrested a school bus conductor, Ashok Kumar, for the child’s murder.

Kumar had even confessed to the crime, but his family and friends maintained that he was being framed.