New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS): Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Priyank Kanoongo on Friday expressed concern over the safety of schoolchildren over the Hathras incident and called it "horrible and unforgivable."

In Hathras, an 11-year-old boy, Kritarth Kushwaha, was brutally murdered in what police have described as a case of human sacrifice.

This incident took place in a residential school in Rasgawan village under the Sahapau police station area, Hathras. Investigations have revealed that the killing was orchestrated as part of a tantric ritual, purportedly to bring success and fame to the school.

Speaking to IANS, Kanoongo said, "NCPCR has taken cognisance of the Hathras matter. I have spoken to the Chairman of the State Child Commission and we are sending a team from here which will investigate this entire matter. Then, we will also give recommendations to the government according to the report of the team."

"I would also like to mention that the Government of India made a guideline in 2021 to fix the accountability of schools which will ensure that there is no negligence in schools regarding the safety of children. Even before this matter, the Supreme Court directed all the states to follow this guideline. However, some states are not following this and I would like to remind them all again to follow these guidelines sincerely. Also, I want to know who has given the order to the Hathras school to open it. The officials who allowed such people to open the school are also culprits," he stated.

On September 23, the boy's father, Krishna Kumar had filed a complaint, on the basis of which police started the investigation.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested the director Dinesh Baghel and his father Jasodhan Singh, along with three teachers Ramprakash Solanki, Veerpal Singh and Laxman Singh who were accused of orchestrating the boy's murder as a ritual sacrifice.