By Neeraj Kumar

Patna, May 17:  The body of a four-year-old boy, who had gone missing, was found inside a drain on the premises of a private school in Patna, after which an irate mob on Friday set the school building on fire.

Agitated parents, family members and locals also blocked roads and burnt tyres, disrupting vehicular traffic movement.

Police said the boy, Ayush Kumar, son of Shailesh Roy, a resident of Digha-Polson Road in Patna, went to school on Thursday morning. He also attended tuition classes on the school premises after regular classes. However, he did not return home after the tuition classes, prompting his worried family to launch a desperate search.

The family’s worst fears were realised when Ayush’s lifeless body was found in the drain on the school premises in the wee hours of Friday, sparking protest, violence and arson.

Angered by the incident and suspecting foul play, locals took to the streets on Friday morning, blocking roads and staging protests outside the school. Their anger soon turned violent as they set the school building on fire.

Firefighters were rushed to the scene, who managed to extinguish the blaze. Police personnel also arrived at the location to disperse the agitated crowd and restore order.

Ayush’s family has accused the school administration of negligence and possible involvement in the child’s death.

The police have launched an investigation into the matter, but the cause of Ayush’s death is yet to be ascertained. The police said post-mortem examination report would ascertain the cause of death and determine if there was any foul play.

A senior police official said a case of child abduction was registered on Thursday, after which an investigation was done. He said the footage of CCTV installed in the school was also checked. “It was found that the child had gone to the school but did not come out. During the investigation, it was revealed that the boy sustained injuries and became unconscious in the school, after which his body was dumped in the drain near a classroom,” the officer said.The

The author, Neeraj Kumar, is a journalist based in Patna