Ahmedabad School Under Fire as Students Booked for Blade Attack on Class Monitor
In a disturbing recurrence of violence, three juvenile students have been formally booked for allegedly assaulting a 12-year-old class monitor at a private school in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The incident, which involved the use of a blade to cut off the victim's uniform buttons, has reignited concerns over student safety at the same institution where a 15-year-old student was murdered in August 2025.
Details of the Assault and Police Action
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed on February 5, 2026, the attack stemmed from a dispute over queue discipline. The 12-year-old victim, serving as class monitor, had enforced single-file lines after school hours—a system implemented following last year's fatal stabbing. On February 4, he pulled three students out of the queue for refusing to comply, leading to threats from the accused.
The situation escalated the next day when two of the juveniles allegedly cornered the monitor in the school washroom around 11 AM. One held him while the other used a blade to tear off his shirt buttons, assaulted him, and threatened to kill him if he interfered again. The FIR, based on a complaint by the victim's father, details that the elder brother alerted the family, prompting a police report after the school failed to respond adequately.
Police have booked the three juveniles under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for voluntarily causing hurt and aggravated criminal intimidation. Notices have been served to their parents to appear before the Juvenile Justice Board, and the victim's uniform has been seized for forensic analysis to verify the blade's use.
Education Department's Stern Response and Ongoing Negligence
Ahmedabad (City) District Education Officer Rohit Chaudhary has issued a show-cause notice to the school's new administration and launched an inquiry, citing repeated negligence. "This school has shown negligence once again," Chaudhary stated, highlighting that the new principal failed to report the incident within 24 hours and was unavailable when contacted.
The DEO's office had assumed administrative oversight after the 2025 murder, mandating enhanced security measures such as gate checks for all students. However, the latest attack raises questions about enforcement. Chaudhary noted a discrepancy in reports: while the FIR mentions a blade, the Education Department's complaint does not, pending verification.
Additionally, the school faces scrutiny for ongoing violations, including:
- Failure to submit financial records requested on January 7, 2026.
- Accepting school fees in cash, contravening Fee Regulatory Committee (FRC) orders.
- Charging unauthorized sports fees, another FRC violation.
Background: The 2025 Murder Case and Its Aftermath
This incident echoes a tragic event from August 19, 2025, when a 15-year-old student was stabbed to death with a foldable box cutter by a classmate outside the same school. The victim succumbed to injuries the following day, leading to the accused's detention at a care home under the Juvenile Justice Board.
The case was transferred to the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) of Ahmedabad City Police, with a chargesheet filed in mid-September 2025. Trials are ongoing, with hearings held every fortnight. In response, the school had replaced its principal, but the latest assault suggests persistent safety lapses.
Compromise and Broader Implications
Despite the severity, DEO Chaudhary reported that the students involved have reached a compromise, with all parties now attending classes together. "The children have reached a compromise, hugged and all are sitting in class together and studying," he said, attributing the FIR to the principal's inadequate response to the parents.
Education Inspectors are preparing a detailed report with CCTV footage and other evidence, expected within days. This case underscores critical issues in school safety protocols and administrative accountability, particularly in institutions with histories of violence. The community and authorities await further developments as investigations into both incidents continue.
