On August 19, violence broke out at the Seventh-Day Adventist Higher Secondary School in Khokhra, Ahmedabad, after a Muslim classmate brutally stabbed a minor Sindhi student.
The victim, who sustained multiple stab wounds, was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries later that night. Reports suggest that the attack stemmed from an old rivalry. Eyewitness accounts indicated that a group of Muslim students cornered the victim, one of whom allegedly stabbed him.
On Tuesday afternoon, as the school bell rang, signalling the end of the day, a class 10 student, Nayan, packed his bags and set out for home. He had just stepped out of the building when a junior from class 8 and a few other boys surrounded him. A verbal altercation soon turned physical; a class 8 boy took out a knife, stabbed his senior and fled the scene.
In a CCTV footage, Nayan can be seen walking into the school with his hand on his stomach, covering the wound. The student was taken to a private hospital in Maninagar, where he died of his injuries.
In the meantime, the accused ran towards the backside of the school building. However, he was spotted by the security guard, who then informed the school administration and the police.
The death sparked widespread anger among the victim’s family, members of the Sindhi community, and Hindu organisations. Protestors gathered outside the school, raising slogans and demanding justice. Some reportedly vandalised school property and even assaulted staff members before police intervened to control the situation.
#WATCH | Gujarat: A class 8 student was stabbed and injured by a student of class 10 in Seventh-Day Adventist school, Ahmedabad, yesterday.
Visuals from the school as people, including the injured child’s relatives, create ruckus here. pic.twitter.com/A1jHkTcZFd
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2025
Sindhi Central Panchayat president Kamal Mehtani condemned the incident, saying: “A small child was stabbed over a trivial issue. If such an incident can happen inside a reputed school, it can happen to anyone. The culprits must be punished, and the school management should be held accountable. Their duty is not just to collect fees.”
The victim’s family levelled serious allegations against the school authorities, claiming gross negligence:
1. The school did not call an ambulance after the attack.
2. The unconscious boy was found lying in a pool of blood by his parents.
3. The family had to carry the victim to the hospital in an autorickshaw without any assistance from school staff.
The grieving parents alleged that “had the school acted promptly, the boy’s life could have been saved.”
The victim’s grandfather further claimed that the school security was lax, allowing sharp weapons inside. He also alleged that Muslim students in the school had earlier tricked his vegetarian grandson into eating mutton, telling him it was paneer.
Following the incident, Ahmedabad Police arrested two accused students from the Shah Alam area. An FIR has been registered in the case.
A forensic team was called to examine whether bloodstains were deliberately washed off the premises. If confirmed, school staff may also face charges for tampering with evidence.
Police are reviewing CCTV footage and have recorded statements from nine people, including teachers and security guards.
The District Education Officer has issued a notice to the school administration seeking a detailed report.
Several parents of students studying in the same school alleged that this was not the first such incident.
A mother claimed that Muslim students had previously assaulted her son, but the matter was “hushed up” by the school.
Another parent alleged that alcohol and drugs had been seized from the premises earlier, but no disciplinary action was taken.
Many parents accused the school management of corruption and shielding culprits instead of ensuring student safety.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) joined the protests, demanding strict accountability.
“If students can freely roam with sharp weapons inside the premises, the school has failed in its basic duty of ensuring safety. Such an institution, despite charging lakhs in fees, should be shut down,” ABVP leaders said.
The tragedy has once again raised disturbing questions about student safety, communal tensions, and accountability in private educational institutions.
