DCPCR asks school to allow student injured in Delhi riots to appear for exams later

New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed a school here to ensure that a student who was shot in her right hand during the recent northeast Delhi riots be allowed to take her exams after she has healed. The directions were given in a notice issued by DCPCR member Anurag Kundu on Monday. The notice also sought an action taken report in the matter.

The girl is a resident of Hassanpur area in northeast Delhi.

A class 9 student of a government school in northeast Delhi, the girl was shot in the hand during the communal violence last month and she will miss her exams, the commission said.

"Our city has faced a great plight and our children have gone through trauma that no child should (face). In light of this, the Commission asks you to ensure that she may be allowed to give her exams when she is healed and her year does not go in vain," the DCPCR said.

According to the girl's mother, "She was standing on the terrace of our house on February 25 when she was shot in the hand. The rioters were firing in the air and that is when she got injured. She was taken to St.Stephen's Hospital where she was operated upon. She is still recovering and has severe pain in her right hand." She said their house is located near the entry of the lane and there was violence outside their lane. The girl's mother said the exams began on Wednesday and it seems unlikely that her daughter will be able to appear for them.

"We have to go for a check-up tomorrow. Her hand is hurting and she won't be able to write. We are talking to the school authorities," she added.

The communal violence in northeast Delhi last month claimed 53 lives and left over 200 people injured.

Areas like Chand Bagh, Bhajanpura, Gokulpuri, Maujpur, Kardampuri and Jaffrabad were worst-affected by the violence which erupted after clashes between supporters of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and those opposing it spiralled out of control.