The family of Rashid Yasar, an eight-year-old Indian boy, is seeking answers following his sudden death at a school in Sharjah’s Muwaileh area. Rashid, a Grade 1 student, passed away on March 11, the first day of Ramadan, shortly after arriving at the CBSE-curriculum school.
A forensic report from Sharjah Police revealed that Rashid sustained a fresh bruise on the left side of his face, internal bleeding under the scalp, a fractured left cheekbone, severe swelling, and multiple hemorrhagic points in the brain’s core. The autopsy indicated that these injuries led to a severe concussion.
According to a Khaleej Times report, a CCTV footage shows Rashid being teased by some boys as he walked to the assembly area. Moments later, he falls, but the critical moments leading to his fall are not captured, leaving a gap in the sequence of events. Rashid’s family alleges that he was attacked and bullied during this gap.
“We will not rest until we find out what happened to my dear son,” said his father, Habib Yasar. Habib, 34, has sought assistance from the Indian Consulate, demanding action against the school. “A school is supposed to be like a second home, but it didn’t take care of my child,” he wrote to the Consul-General of India.
In response, the school denied the bullying allegations. “We share the agony with the family due to the sudden loss, but undue misrepresentation of facts is evidenced in the allegations,” the school principal stated. The school did not explain why Rashid was not accompanied by a nanny or why no CCTV captured the critical moments.
Rashid was taken to the school clinic after collapsing. His parents were informed that he had no heartbeat and was sent to Qasimiya hospital, where he was declared dead after 45 minutes of resuscitation attempts.
Rashid’s grandparents, Sayyad and Shama, have been struggling with the loss. “He was such a darling. The day before the incident, he accompanied me to the mosque for Taraweeh prayers,” Sayyad recalled.
Habib emphasized the need for closure, stating, “Nothing could be more painful for a parent than losing a child suddenly. It is an irreparable loss, and this tragedy will haunt us forever. But closure will ease some of our pain. That is what we ask for.”
