VASCO
Family members and friends of deceased student Rahul Bind protested outside Deepvihar Higher Secondary School in Vasco on Wednesday, demanding action against those responsible for the circumstances leading to his tragic drowning during a school trek at Tonir-Kajredyat waterfall in Savarde-Sattari on August 7.
The protesters sought the immediate suspension of the teachers involved in the trekking programme, action against the school management and a thorough investigation into the incident.
The family members also demanded that the government transfer the case from Valpoi Police to the Crime Branch, claiming that there was still no clarity regarding the circumstances that led to Rahul's death. They alleged that the family was being kept in the dark and had not been given satisfactory answers about what exactly happened during the trek.
The parents alleged that the forest department and Valpoi police were engaged in a blame game, with neither side providing the family with a clear explanation regarding the sequence of events. They said that the lack of information had increased their anguish and demanded that an independent agency investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, sources said that school headmistress Maria Dias and two other teachers are believed to have been suspended pending an enquiry by the school management into the incident.
The protest continued outside the school premises until the school was over. Tension prevailed when the protesters attempted to prevent teachers from leaving the school. Police personnel intervened to prevent the situation from escalating and cleared the protesting family members and supporters from the area.
