Ryan murder: Haryana police confesses mistake in Pradyuman killing probe

The initial eight seconds of the footage shows the accused minor calling Pradyuman to the washroom, a point missed by police in initial probe.

NEW DELHI: Admitting their mistake in the murder probe of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur, the Haryana Police said that they have erred. 

Gurugram Police Commissioner Sandeep Khirwar called a meeting of the first investigating team to reprimand the officers. The team, which arrested bus conductor Ashok Kumar and declared him a paedophile, admitted that they made mistakes. The officers also confessed that they did not view the closed circuit television (CCTV) footage carefully. 

The initial eight seconds of the CCTV footage shows alleged accused minor calling Pradyuman to the washroom. 

The cops, however, remained mum on exactly how they missed this crucial evidence.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the angle of cops 'planting evidence' in form of blood-soaked knife in Ashok’s possession and also tortured bus driver Saurav Raghav.

Slamming the investigative team, Khirwar sought an explanation for the botched-up probe and an inquiry report on the matter which will include details of cops who analysed the CCTV footage. He also questioned what circumstantial evidence led the team to declare Ashok as the murderer.

In a sudden turn of events last week, the CBI arrested a 16-year-old Class 11 student of Ryan International School Gurugram in connection with the killing of Pradyuman Thakur. The agency also gave a clean chit to bus conductor Ashok Kumar. 

The accused minor was taken to the crime scene, where the entire incident was recreated. Another student, teachers, and staff were also called to the scene.

"The CBI team used a giant stuffed teddy bear in place of Pradyuman and directed the accused student to recreate the entire sequence of events," a senior CBI officer said, adding that teachers and staff members were interrogated about the murder, reported DNA. 

A Gurugram juvenile court has sent the minor accused to a correction home in Faridabad for 11 days. The next date of hearing is on November 22.

Pradhuman was found near the toilet of Ryan International School with his throat slit on September 8 morning within an hour of his father leaving him at the school.