Sub-Divisional Magistrate shouts at a distraught mother of boy who died in a school bus accident.
A mother wailed over the death of her 10-year-old son in a freak accident on the school bus. "Bas! Chup (Enough! Shut up)," an officer screamed at her, wagging her finger.
The disturbing video of insensitivity by a government official has emerged from a police station in Modinagar near Delhi, where the grieving parents of Class 4 student Anurag Bharadwaj sat on protest on Thursday, demanding action against the school for negligence.
On Wednesday morning, Anurag was on his way to school on the bus when he felt nauseous and leaned out of the window. At that moment, the driver swerved, and the boy hit an electricity pole. He reportedly died instantly. Though the driver and another bus staff were arrested, no action was taken against the school.
In the video, the Sub Divisional Magistrate of Modinagar, Shubhangi Shukla, is seen screaming at Anurag's mother Neha Bharadwaj, who is clearly inconsolable, sitting on the ground with her husband, daughter and a few other parents.
"Why don't you understand? I am asking you to keep quiet," Ms Shukla shouts at the mother.
"Was it your son?" responds Neha Bharadwaj, weeping.
"How many times should I try and make you understand," the officer shouts again.
"I have understood enough. He is silent now," replies Ms Bharadwaj, apparently referring to her dead child.
Amid shock over the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stepped in and sought a report. Besides action against the school, bus staff and the Transport Department, he ordered fitness checks for school buses.
"Strict action will taken against those responsible," the Chief Minister said, offering condolences to the family.
Anurag's parents allege that the school did not take standard precautions on the bus. There were too many students, they claim, and no one to supervise. Anurag's mother had allegedly complained to the driver.
In their complaint, the parents say they had argued with the school principal, management and driver on April 1.
But officer Shukla had a different version in her report. She said the boy did not reach out to a teacher present on the bus and that there were fewer students than seats. The bus, however, did not have a fitness certificate.