Udaipur’s 15-year-old victim dies during treatment; Region remains tense

The 15-year-old boy, who was stabbed by his classmate after a dispute over homework on Friday in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, died on Monday during treatment, officials familiar with the matter said.

The issue had snowballed into a communal conflagration between Hindus and Muslims of the city.

Rajasthan home minister Jawahar Singh Bedham said, “The minor passed away despite all our efforts. It’s a tragic incident on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. We have tried the best possible ways to cure him. My condolences to the family of the victim. The government will ensure stringent action against the accused, while we will also support the victim’s family by all means.”

Dr. R. L. Suman, superintendent of MB Hospital said, “The minor collapsed on Tuesday when his health suddenly deteriorated on Monday afternoon. The body has been sent for an autopsy in the mortuary of the hospital.”

On Friday, the two minors had an argument over homework, police officers said. “They had been at loggerheads in the previous days as the accused asked for a homework copy, but the victim shared it with someone else.

“On Friday, when the two engaged in a heated argument, the accused stabbed the victim, leading to serious injury in his abdomen,” Udaipur superintendent of police Yogesh Goyal said.

The victim was rushed to the local Maharana Bhopal Government Hospital and later two special medical teams from Jaipur and Kota were also appointed to treat him on Saturday.

A case under sections 109, 115, and 126 of the BNS has been filed against the accused. The minor accused and his father have been detained, Goyal said, adding that the father was being interrogated over his son having carried a dagger to school.

The incident also led to communal clashes in the district. “A mob took to the streets, torched several cars and pelted stones prompting the administration to impose prohibitory orders and suspend internet,” said Goyal.

Following the clashes, police filed two cases against unidentified people and detained 15 to 20 people by Sunday.

On Sunday, the family of the victim also staged a protest, saying they were not allowed to meet the victim at the hospital, an allegation that was dismissed by police. “They have killed my son. Now, the administration is not allowing us to meet him,” the victim’s mother alleged, as she led a rally of a group of 30 to 40 women from Mukherjee Nagar Chowk, an area largely occupied by Muslims.

Raising slogans, the protesters arrived at Maharana Bhupal (MB) Hospital, where the boy is undergoing treatment, and demanded that his family be allowed to meet him. As district collector Arvind Poswal arrived at the spot, an argument broke out between the two sides after the protesters alleged the victim had succumbed to injuries and the family was being kept in the dark.

“There was some confusion that the family does not have any information about their child. They were given a brief on all the developments. The child is stable and teams of doctors from Kota and Jaipur are monitoring him,” Poswal said on Sunday during the protest.

“The family held the protest on the basis of rumours. We urge everyone to stay away and cooperate with the police to help them restore peace in the area,” he added.

The family members of the victim have refused to accept the body demanding capital punishment for the accused. A negotiation between the family and the administration is currently underway at the emergency unit of the MB Hospital.

Meanwhile, in view of a further clash, the police also deployed an additional force across the hospital area, said officials familiar with the matter. The district administration had also imposed section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita -BNS (formerly section 144 of the Indian Penal Code -IPC) since Friday while the internet connection also remained suspended on Monday.

On Saturday, the Udaipur administration demolished the rented house of the accused boy, alleging it was illegally built on government land and that the measure was needed “to send a message to the criminals”.

The owner of the house, Rashid Khan, was sent a notice mere hours before the demolition. “I had no role in this case. After the incident, I told the family to vacate the house,” Khan said.