MADAN LAL ARORA Vs. DHARAM PAL JI CHAIRMAN MAHASHYA CHUNI LAL SARASWATI BAL MANDIR SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This is an unfortunate case where Nitin Arora, a student of Class IX got drowned in presence of his school teachers, in 'Saryu' river.

(2.) The facts germane to the present case filed on 04.10.1999 are these. Nitin Arora was a student of Class IX and was studying in Mayasya Chuni Lal Saraswati Bal Mandir Senior Secondary School, L-Block, Hari Nagar, New Delhi, OP No.7. OP7 is running a School under the control of Sh.Dharampalji, Chairman, OP1. Sh.Govind Ram Aggarwal, Principal, OP2, Sh.Sohan Singh, Head Teacher, OP3, Sh.Pawan Paliwal, Clerk, OP4, Sh. Rajpal Singh, and Sh.Ramesh Chand, PETs, OP5 & OP6, are all employees of said school, OP7. The OPs had arranged Desh Bhraman Tour and have also charged Rs.1,800/- per child and a tourist bus was booked which started for tour on 02.10.1997. Nitin Arora also joined the tour. The tour programme did not mention that students will take bath in 'Saryu' river.

(3.) This complaint was filed by Sh.Madan Lal Arora, father of deceased Nitin Arora. Sh.Madan Lal Arora received the message that his son got drowned in 'Saryu' river, on 04.10.1997. The message was delivered at about 11/11.30 AM, at Delhi. Madan Lal Arora immediately left for Ayodhya in Tata Sumo on the same day at about 1.00PM. The school authorities had provided the said vehicle. Madan Lal Arora arrived at 'Saryu' river on 05.10.1997 at about 8.30AM. It transpired that his son had got drowned. It is alleged that OPs 3, 4 & 6 were taking tea in the canteen and OP 5 was sitting near the clothes of the children. The son of the complainant was sent to take bath in 'Saryu' river without accompanying teachers. It appeared that Nitin Arora's foot might have slipped because of high current of the river water and he, as were all other children, started shouting for help, but the teachers did not come to their rescue.