12th-Grade Student Brutally Stabbed to Death by Classmates in Prayagraj: Locals Demand Accountability from School Management
BK Singh
Prayagraj, Karachhana, Uttar Pradesh
A horrifying act of school violence has shaken Prayagraj district, where a 17-year-old student, Avanish Pandey, was brutally murdered by two of his own classmates at Indira Gandhi Intermediate College, situated in Kulmaie under the jurisdiction of Karachhana police station.
Avanish, a resident of Gadhwakala village in the Kawadhiara police station area, was pursuing his studies in class 12. Around 11 am, the accused reportedly lured him to the rooftop of the school building.
There, one blow of the knife tore through his shirt, followed by a second, fatal strike to his throat. The young boy collapsed in a pool of blood, while the attackers fled the scene by jumping from the rooftop and disappearing through nearby paddy fields.
Despite being rushed first to the Community Health Center (CHC) Karchhana and then referred to SRN Hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival. To compound the tragedy, the incident unfolded in front of his younger brother, Digvijay Pandey, a class 10 student at the same college, who witnessed the brutal killing firsthand.
Based on a complaint lodged by the father, Amit Pandey, the police registered a case against six individuals. The two principal accused are Abhay Kumar Pathak and Ashutosh Soni, both classmates of the victim.
In addition, Vijay Kumar Pandey, Rameshwar Prasad Tiwari, Dimpu Pandey (from Gadhwakala village), and Pappu Mishra (from Bharav village) have also been named in the FIR, with allegations of a premeditated conspiracy rooted in longstanding enmity. Some suspects are already in custody, while others remain at large. Police say the investigation is progressing at full pace.
Questions Over Institutional Responsibility
Even as police continue their probe, serious questions are being raised about the failure of the school management to prevent such a violent incident within its premises. It is being said that the enmity between Avanish and the accused was no secret—not only did their classmates know of it, but tensions had been visible for some time.
Under such circumstances, locals argue, the school administration had a duty to step in and take preventive measures. “When an entire class is aware of a simmering hostility, how can the authorities remain oblivious? This is not mere negligence—it is a lapse that cost a young life,” remarked one resident.
The community has demanded that a formal inquiry be conducted into the role and responsibility of the school management, holding them accountable for their failure to maintain a safe learning environment. Parents and citizens alike stress that violence of any kind in educational institutions must be treated with zero tolerance.
A Wake-Up Call
The murder of Avanish Pandey has not only plunged a family into grief but also raised urgent alarms about the growing menace of violence in schools and colleges. Educational spaces are meant to nurture learning, discipline, and values—but when hostility and unchecked aggression creep inside, the consequences can be fatal.
Locals now insist that, alongside punishing the perpetrators, systemic reforms and accountability measures must be introduced to ensure such tragedies are never repeated.
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