"Matter of concern": Chirag Paswan on death of Class 10 student

Hajipur (Bihar) [India], February 21 (ANI): Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Friday expressed concern over the tragic death of a Class 10 student who was denied entry to her exam for arriving late and later died by suicide.
Speaking to the media, he stated that any such event is a matter of serious concern for the government. He acknowledged the opposition's right to engage in politics, but emphasised the government's commitment to ensuring justice and preventing future incidents.
"Any incident that occurs is a matter of concern. The opposition may engage in politics over this, but it is a serious issue for our government. Even a single incident is a cause for concern for us... We are ensuring that no guilty person escapes," he said.
Paswan stated that the Bihar Home Minister has instructed local authorities to increase vigilance, and the government is working to ensure no guilty individual escapes punishment. He assured that the government is taking all possible steps to address the issue and provide justice to the affected family
"The Home Minister of Bihar Province has also issued orders to the local administration to remain more vigilant... Such incidents should not happen at all, and for that, our government is making every possible effort to take steps... We are equally committed with the same promptness to ensure that the family gets justice", he said.
This comes after Tejashwi Yadav, Leader of the Opposition and other leaders, protested outside the Bihar Assembly during the budget session and criticised the state government for deteriorating law and order and administrative lapses in public examinations.
The RJD leader also condemned the government's handling of school examinations, citing the tragic death of a Class 10 student, who was denied entry to her board exam for arriving late and later died by suicide. Yadav urges the government to adopt a more humanitarian approach, allowing marginally late students to sit exams, saying, "No rule can be more valuable than a child's life".
He claimed incidents of extortion, murder, and sexual assault are rising, and ordinary citizens are living in fear. Yadav accuses Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of losing control and weakening his authority by handing over the Home Department to the BJP.
The student was delayed by traffic congestion and arrived 10 minutes after the reporting time, but was refused entry despite pleading with officials, claimed Yadav.
Yadav blamed the government for administrative insensitivity and highlighted persistent issues with traffic management and exam coordination. Bihar Education Minister Sunil Kumar has promised to review the incident and consider more flexible rules for late students.
The opposition, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has been protesting in the Bihar Assembly, alleging rising crime rates and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's silence on the matter. (ANI)