It was afternoon. The school bell had just rung. But a phone call rang the final bell of an innocent life.
This is not just one student's story… It reflects the entire system where dreams are crushed under the weight of caste, power, and prestige.
Hemant Kumar Singh (Patel), a Class 12 student at Gyanadeep English School in Chandmari, Varanasi, dreamed of becoming an engineer. His father, Kailash Chandra Verma, is a lawyer at the Varanasi District Court. Fulfilling Hemant's dream was his father's dream too.
( In the same cabin of the principal at Gyandeep English School in Chandmari, Varanasi, Hemant was shot.)
At 1:30 PM on April 22, Hemant received a call from the school’s assistant administrator, Rajvijendra Singh: “Hemant, come to school. We need to talk.” Hemant went to school. But what returned was his lifeless body.
It is said that the school administration was angered by Hemant's alleged relationship with a girl at school — despite there being no complaint against him. Principal Abhay Rai, Assistant Admin Rajvijendra Singh, and BJP leader Ram Bahadur Singh (Rajvijendra’s father) summoned Hemant. Was it really to talk — or to trap him?
(Relatives gathered to console Hemant’s grieving family.)
Hemant’s family alleges he was humiliated, mentally harassed, and ultimately shot by Rajvijendra Singh alias Ravi.
Hemant was called to school — and shot dead
His body was found in a small room in the parking area of the school director’s residence. At the time of the murder, Hemant’s two friends, Shashank and Kishan, were present. They rushed the bleeding boy to the hospital, but doctors declared him dead. The bullet had pierced his ear.
(Main accused, BJP leader Ram Bahadur Singh, pictured with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.)
As the news spread, lawyers gathered at the Shivpur police station. The crowd dispersed only after an FIR was registered. On April 23, Hemant’s grieving parents demanded justice and the arrest of the accused. The police tried to pacify them. Hemant’s last rites were performed in Marui village.
The FIR named Rajvijendra Singh, Shashank, and Kishan. Kailashchandra Verma said, “My son had just finished his exams and was waiting for results. The principal called him. At school, he was abused, beaten, and then shot. Ram Bahadur Singh told his son, ‘Shoot him’ — and Rajvijendra fired. We rushed him to the hospital, but he died on the way. Will my son ever get justice?”
(Main accused seen with BJP President J.P. Nadda and CM Yogi Adityanath.)
“My son will never go to school again”
Kailashchandra Verma is a resident of Marui village in Sindhora. He has three sons — Vishal (BA 1st year), Hemant (12th grade), and Durgesh (Class 5) — and two younger daughters, Dolly and Pari. Their mother, Asha Patel, is a homemaker. The family home is now engulfed in sorrow.
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Asha has still not recovered from the shock. When asked, she says, “My son will never go to school again. If this is how dreams end, I won't send my other children to school either. But I will ensure Hemant gets justice.” Little Pari is now scared of going to school. She says, “Didi says school is scary now.” Dolly cries as she goes to class. Durgesh mumbles in his sleep, “When will Bhaiyya come back?” The eldest, Vishal, sits silently, face drained of color.
“This isn’t just murder — it’s a caste-based attack”
Following Hemant's killing, the machinery of caste discrimination has reactivated. On one side is a powerful father-son duo; on the other, a bright student from a backward caste — with neither power nor protection. The very school he trusted ended up taking his life.
There are major discrepancies between the FIR and the family’s version of events. Kailashchandra accuses the police of altering the FIR to distort the truth. “The one who killed my son roams free in broad daylight. Was my son’s life so cheap?”
(Original copy of the FIR.)
In the original complaint, Kailashchandra clearly named Rajvijendra Singh, Abhay Rai, and Ram Bahadur Singh as conspirators in the premeditated murder. But their names were omitted in the FIR. The identity of the actual shooter was also erased — raising suspicions about a cover-up.
“As a lawyer myself, I know this was a planned attack,” says Kailashchandra. “Hemant was summoned, humiliated, and shot. The school couldn’t digest that a 'lower-caste' boy was talking to a girl from an 'upper' caste. No complaint was filed — yet they tortured and killed him out of caste hatred.”
(Modified version of the FIR altered by the police.)
Sardar Sena takes to the streets for Hemant
People in Marui village remember Hemant as a bright, kind-hearted boy. He never wished harm upon anyone. But caste, ego, and power took his life.
His mother, Asha, sits before his photograph and says, “Hemant must get justice. Or else, the laps of mothers across this country will continue to be soaked in blood.”
(People of Varanasi taking to the streets demanding justice for Hemant.)
Hemant is now a burning question. Do children from backward castes not have the right to dream? Isn’t school supposed to be equal for all? Is justice reserved only for the elite?
In protest of the murder, Sardar Sena’s national president Dr. R.S. Patel organized a Kurmi community gathering on April 25 at Royal Green Garden in Paramanandpur. It linked Kurmi identity with the demand for justice — calling on all conscious, progressive voices to stand up.
