Bag checking, sharp objects banned: Ahmedabad schools amp up security measures after Khokhra incident

After the murder of a Class 10 student at Seventh Day Adventist School in Ahmedabad’s Khokhra, Rohit M Chaudhari, Ahmedabad City District Education Officer (DEO), deployed officials to various schools in the city to conduct random checks of students’ bags. 

Inspectors and Assistant Education Inspectors, under the direction of Chaudhari, issued a circular to all schools, mandating periodic bag checks for students. On Thursday, officials randomly inspected schools in different parts of the city and checked students’ bags.

At one school, a broken piece of a geometry compass – just the pointed tip – was found in a student’s bag, after which the child was counselled. Some schools have now outright banned students from bringing geometry instruments.

Education inspectors from the DEO office also held meetings with teachers of schools in areas including Maninagar to discuss student safety. Additionally, meetings with over 50 school administrators are planned in the coming days.

In connection with the Seventh Day School incident, the DEO office has been persuading parents to give statements, as a result of which more than 20 parents have provided testimonies. However, many others remain too fearful to come forward with complaints or statements.

The murder

The incident occurred on Tuesday (August 19) outside Khokhra-based Seventh Day Adventist School, where a Class 10 student of the same school was attacked with a sharp weapon by a fellow student of Class 8. 

The injured student died the following day during treatment. The incident sparked massive outrage among parents, the Sindhi community, and locals, leading to violent vandalism at the school on Wednesday morning.

Teachers, staff, and the school management were also attacked. As a result, in-person classes at the school were suspended, and only online classes were ordered to continue. However, teachers remain fearful of further attacks, and even today, two days later, they have not returned to school, which has also halted online teaching.