Parents of three dead Virar students demand CID probe

MUMBAI: The parents of the three Virar students whose bodies were found in a river near their school last month have demanded a state crime investigation department (CID) probe in the case.
The parents have alleged that while school authorities had told them that Meet Chhadwa, Prahul Patel and Khushal Dhaga, all Class IX students of Vagad International Gurukul in Sakwar village, had run away from their hostel on August 25 after they were caught copying, other students have refuted the claim.
The children’s bodies were found on August 27. While Virar police are probing the suicide angle and have booked two teachers—Ripusudan Garg and Sandeep Palve—for abetment, their parents suspect murder and foul play.
The parents, in their letter to state home minister R R Patil, have said the boys may have been beaten to death and their bodies dumped in the stream. They said the water was too shallow for three boys to have drowned together. “We want the police to probe the murder angle,” said Khushal’s father Nilesh.
The parents said they are unhappy with the police probe. Since the bodies were swollen, they alleged this indicated death may have occurred at least a day earlier.
They are likely to meet Patil on Wednesday.