Raigad javelin tragedy: ‘School delayed taking our boy to hospital, no one even gave him water’

Huzefa’s family at his residence in Dahivali Konda village on Friday. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

The family of 15-year-old Huzefa Daware, who died after a javelin thrown at him cracked his skull on Wednesday, has alleged grave negligence and apathy on the part of INT Academy English School in Raigad. At Huzefa's home in Dahivali Konda village, his aunts said the school did not bother to reach out to them after the incident. "We found out about it from a third person," said Sabiya, his younger aunt.

Huzefa lived in a joint family, with over 10 women in the house. All the men of the family work in Gulf countries as drivers, sending home remittances. "I was told by the meat shop owner next to our house about the incident, who had heard it from somewhere else. And then I told the family about it," said Huzefa's uncle, Irfan Daware.

Huzefa Daware

The school was hosting a taluka-level volleyball competition within its premises, in which several students from other schools were participating. The incident happened when one such student from another school picked up the javelin and threw it in the direction of Huzefa, who was standing barely 125 to 130 ft away, according to the CCTV footage retrieved by Goregaon police station in Raigad district.

"An FIR has been registered against the minor under Section 304 (causing death by rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," said Assistant Police Inspector (API) Srikrishna Navale of Goregaon police in Raigad district. He said the case against the minor is that of wilful negligence as he could see Huzefa standing in the direction where the javelin was thrown.

Irfan Daware, Huzefa's uncle

Charges against school

"We are also framing charges against the school authorities since it was their responsibility to ensure that the activities were under control," Navale said.
While the family of the minor accused could not be traced, the school management did not respond to mid-day's calls. When this reporter called the school and identified himself, the school disconnected the phone.

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The school has two playgrounds, one within its compound wall used for volleyball and the other is a grass field opposite it, used by students for other sporting activities.

Qutubbuddin Ismail Daware, Huzefa's father; (right) INT Academy English School where the incident took place during a sports meet. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

The incident took place on the ground outside. "I have been working here for the last six years, and I have seen students play multiple sports, but javelin was never one of them," said Mohamamed Ali, the school's watchman. He added that the school reopened on Friday after the incident.

The police confirmed that the minor accused got hold of the javelin from within the school premises. "Questions like who allowed him to take it and why it wasn't guarded are now a matter of investigation," API Navale said.

Meanwhile, Huzefa's parents were in shock and unable to speak. The family believes that Huzefa used to shy away from sports until this year. "His teachers encouraged him to participate in shot put," said Huzefa's aunt, Sabiya.

Another aunt said he was blessed with five or six aunts who considered him their own son, as apart from his two younger cousins, he was the only boy at home. "He wanted to be an automobile engineer. He loved cars too much," said Ghazala, Huzefa's eldest aunt.

No chance of survival

Huzefa was taken to a primary clinic in Goregaon, a few kilometers away from his school. "The school delayed rushing him to the hospital as there was no driver available. Nobody even offered him water in his last moments or read kalima," Irfan said.

Dr. Vinod Goregaonkar said the boy was fatally injured; he was brought dead. "The javelin had cracked his skull, and just as it was removed, his brain matter came out along with it," he said. "It was a direct brain hemorrhage, and there was no chance of survival."

Dr. Goregaonkar added that patients in serious conditions in and around the village are dependent on Mumbai and Navi Mumbai for tertiary care services. "There should be some tertiary care facility made available on the road from Pen-Mahad-Chiplun to cater to accident victims," Dr. Goregaonkar said.

130ft
Approx distance the javelin flew towards teen