PATNA: A student of class XII at a well-known school in Ranchi and allegedly upset with his principal’s unjust behaviour set himself ablaze in his classroom before running to his principal’s office, mildly singing him in the process. The boy, who sustained 60 per cent burns was rushed to the hospital and is critical, said police.
Ashutosh Kumar, a student of Lala Lajpat Rai Senior Secondary School in Ranchi’s Pundag area doused himself with petrol in a classroom and struck a match. Engulfed in flames, he then ran to the chambers of principal PK Thakur, who suffered minor burns on his hands while trying to douse the flames.
Doctors at Dev Kamal Hospital and Research Centre said Ashutosh’s condition remains critical but he has communicated with police officials and is able to speak. Police officials said the boy admitted that he was under depression and did not hold anybody responsible for his actions. But his elder brother, Abhishek said “frequent insensitive behaviour” by the principal had pushed him to take the drastic step.
“He (Ashutosh) has been consistently securing 80 per cent marks in all his examinations. He was recently removed from the post of a class monitor by the principal. He was badly hurt by the principal’s frequent insensitive behaviour,” Abhishek told journalists.
Mohammad Farooq, SHO of Pundag police station said the boy, who lost his father a few years ago, had said he had been depressed for the past few days.
“There is no question of any rude behaviour with him,” said school principal PK Thakur, denying the allegations against him.
“The boy’s action left all of us shocked. He did this when his practical examinations were on. I had earlier rebuked him during Diwali for bursting fire crackers on the school premises. He has been an average student and often very undisciplined,” he added.