Patna: Police in Bihar have registered a murder case following the death of a 10-year-old girl who was found burned in the bathroom of her school in Patna, triggering violent clashes between residents and police.
The incident took place on Wednesday at Amla Tola Girls School in Gardanibagh. The victim, identified as Zoya, a class five student, had gone missing after morning prayers before being discovered fatally burned. A kerosene can was recovered from the bathroom, which has since been sealed for forensic analysis.
Following the death, anger in the neighbourhood boiled over, with residents blocking roads, setting fires and attacking police officers. Several officers were injured, some sustaining head wounds. Police said 27 people had been detained, of whom 25 have now been arrested. Two separate first information reports (FIRs) have been filed in connection with the rioting – one naming 17 people and 50–60 unidentified others, and another against 30 people and up to 180 unidentified protesters.
Central Patna superintendent of police, Diksha, said teachers from the school are being questioned as part of the investigation. “CCTV footage was not available as the system was not functioning. The teachers’ activities are under scrutiny,” she said. A special investigation team (SIT), led by child development protection officer Dr Anu Kumari, has been formed with technical and forensic experts assisting.
Family members have alleged that Zoya had previously been threatened by a teacher after witnessing inappropriate behaviour between staff in a classroom. According to relatives, she stayed away from school for five days out of fear, returning only on the day she was killed.
Police confirmed that the bathroom door had been found locked from the inside during a reconstruction of the crime scene. Zoya’s home has also been searched as part of the inquiry.
The case has inflamed local tensions, with violent protests breaking out on consecutive days since the girl’s death. Police dispersed demonstrators after three hours on Thursday, promising that the case would be solved swiftly.
