Once juvenile murder accused, he gave HSC exam with police protection & passed test

Nagpur: A former juvenile delinquent, accused of murder a year ago, bounced back to cross the HSC hurdle with a modest 49%, capturing the limelight in this real-life drama. He gave the exam with police protection and was the sole student at an exam centre in Nagpur. The college shut down for a day for the special examinee. The women and child development department on Monday celebrated his success, labelling the arts stream student a hero.
He was 17 years old, when he was accused of murder after a gang war erupted in Yavatmal. The juvenile justice board (JJB) denied him bail as there was a threat to his life. But, gang rivalries worsened and the juvenile board decided to shift him to another city for his safety and he chose an observation home at Nagpur. Apart from shifting cities, the minor was determined to appear for his Class 12 board examination. According to a Yavatmal source, the minor turned to crime after his mother died by suicide and his father abandoned the family. He was forced to stay with his grandmother without parental support or guidance.
"Though the future looked bleak, he was determined to study and pass the HSC examination," said an official. The women and child development officer Ranjit Kurhe decided to take up the challenge to help the juvenile, who turned 18 this year. The department took up the issue with the education department. And within 24 hours, the youngster was permitted to sit for the exam.
Sources stated the police department also deployed four guards for the boy, who was allotted an examination centre close to the govt observation home. He was the sole student in the examination centre, and the campus was shut for him. District child protection officer Mushtaq Pathan, who accompanied the youngster, stated that his zeal to clear the test was visible as he wrote the papers diligently. "Despite being under stress, it was amazing the way he kept his cool. He shared his dream to become an administrative officer in future," said Pathan.
An official from Yavatmal stated the youngster's vision of life was changed by the then principal magistrate of JJB, Enna Dhande, who motivated him to keep studying and not lose hope.