Seventh Day Adventist School principal, staff dismissed over Class 10 student’s death

Ahmedabad (city) District Education Officer (DEO) has directed the management of Seventh Day Adventist School to immediately terminate the principal and other responsible staff members following the August 19 incident where a Class 10 student was allegedly murdered by a fellow student.

The order came amid mounting public anger and increasing pressure on authorities to act swiftly. Following the incident, the DEO had earlier issued a notice seeking an explanation from the school, but no satisfactory response was submitted. 

On Saturday, the DEO served another notice asking the school to clarify within three days why its recognition and government-issued NOC should not be revoked.

Tensions escalated further on Monday when members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest outside the DEO office, demanding the shut down of the school.

The school is operated under the Seventh Day Adventist Organisation, whose regional head office for Gujarat and Maharashtra is based in Pune. Members from the Pune had submitted their explanation, but the DEO rejected it, instructing them to provide a proper response on the school’s official letterhead.

In the latest communication, the DEO cited findings from the Crime Branch investigation, which pointed to serious lapses on the part of the principal and administrative staff.

Police complaints have already been filed against the principal, security guards, and other administrative officials for negligence. The DEO’s letter instructs the school to dismiss these individuals immediately and submit a compliance report without delay.

Meanwhile, nearly 70 parents have approached the authorities seeking transfer certificates for their children. The school, which operates classes from Grade 1 to 12 across multiple boards, has over 9,000 students enrolled.