Press Release

The British College (TBC) is an institution that offers a global education. Each year The British College takes its students to countries like the UK, Singapore and the UAE for world exposure as part of its International Mobility Programme (IMP). This year, on 12th February, 26 students were taken to Dubai to attend our seven days educational programme organised in collaboration with Newstead Training Centre Dubai; a company that helps connect academic institutions to Dubai’s business sector.

Two days after arrival, on 14th February, TBC students were taken to visit both Jumeirah Mosque and La Mer Beach. The beach excursion did not include swimming nor any tourist activities, because soon after our students would be attending a seminar at Newstead’s Knowledge Village on communication and negotiation by a well-known guest lecturer. Unfortunately, during the Le Mer beach visit, Gaurav Shrestha, in TBC’s Bachelor Degree, died from asphyxiation related to an accidental drowning. The incident took place after clear instructions were given to all students to not swim in the sea. Gaurav and one of his friends did not adhere to these orders, amongst a busy beach with lifeguards present, they went into the sea to swim and soon after the accident took place. After a thorough investigation led by the Dubai police, all authorities involved did not put any blame on any one party; it was purely accidental. According to the “Dubai Police Forensic Report”, Gaurav was rescued from under the sea and CPR was attempted. He was immediately taken to the local hospital where he was announced dead.

Once TBC’s CEO heard about the incident, he immediately left for Dubai and formed a team of three people for an extensive examination of all events before and after Gaurav’s death. The British College did everything it could from its end to do a necessary investigation alongside the Dubai police force. In Nepal, TBC’s senior management team dealt with informing parents, relatives and friends while beginning an action plan for an immediate return of all students and staff due to it being disrespectful to continue such a trip. TBC sponsored Dhiraj Shrestha, a relative of the late Gaurav, to urgently go to Dubai and be an eye-witness to the overall police investigation. During this time in Nepal, TBC continuously updated Gaurav’s parents and extended family, via both phone and multiple invitations to the school and delivered any further information that was learned. Throughout these meetings, TBC asked permission on behalf of the family on how to disseminate the information to the public and how to honour him later on. It was agreed that the family requested this to be a private affair and for his name not to be immediately released.

The Dubai police are known worldwide for their transparency. The police did a full investigation and took several statements from many related people. If the reason for death was otherwise (including negligent), all people under investigation would have been taken to court and it would have been impossible for permission to return to Nepal in a week’s time. The CEO, Dubai team and Dhiraj Shrestha coordinated the repatriation of Gaurav’s body to his family within a week. TBC expedited the process in all ways possible, one that in some instances could have taken weeks with TBC covering all costs. The British College has so far fulfilled all the responsibilities it can in all international protocols when such a tragic loss happens to a community.

It should be noted  TBC organised two rounds of induction programmes to both students and parents stressing the importance of this trip, the opportunity given and that it was purely academic. All rules and regulations were explicitly explained in both written and verbal form to all participants. The trip was not mandatory and only interested students registered. The late Gaurav Shrestha took written consent from his parents, as did all other students and submitted the form to the college.

The British College is confident it did all it could and this incident has truly affected all of us emotionally. You can not replace the irreplaceable and to lose a son, a student, and a friend will be a lifelong grieving process. The British College stands in support of Gaurav's family, will continue to provide any assistance in their son's remembrance and in counselling to all members involved; including our students if requested.

TBC promises to fully support the respective bodies for any further investigations required. If more information is needed please contact Suman Shrestha at suman@thebritishcollege.edu.np and +977 9851163620.

Sincerely,

The British College Family

 प्रेस  विज्ञप्ति

 ‘द ब्रिटिस कलेज’ अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय मूल्य  र मान्यताअनुसार चल्दै आइरहेको एक प्रतिष्ठित शैक्षिक संस्था हो । यस संस्थाले हरेक वर्ष आफ्ना विद्यार्थीहरुलाई बेलायत, दुवई, सिंगापुर लगायतक  मुलुकहरुमा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय भ्रमण गराउँदै आएको छ । यस खालका भ्रमणहरु विद्यार्थी र अभिभावकहरुको स्वीकृतिमा गर्ने गरिन्छ । यसपटकको शैक्षिक भ्रमण दुवईको एक शैक्षिक संस्था ‘न्युस्टिड ट्रेनिङ सेन्टर’ को निमन्त्रणमा १२ फ्रेबुअरीमा २६ जना विद्यार्थी समुहबिचमा भएको थियो । यसैक्रममा स्नातक तहमा पढ्ने २० वर्षिय विद्यार्थी गौरव श्रेष्ठ पनि शैक्षिक भ्रमणमा दुवई गएका थिए । त्यसै क्रममा १४ फ्रेबअरीका दिन उनको ला मेर बीचमा पौडी खेल्दा डुबेर दुःखद निधन भयो  । सो घटनाले  सम्पूर्ण  कलेज परिवार शोकमा डुबेको छ र परिवारलाई हाम्रो हार्दिक समवेदना छ । तर सो घटनाको बारेमा विद्यार्थीका बुबा महेन्द्र श्रेष्ठले मिडियामा एकपक्षिय रुपमा नकारात्मक तवरले ब्यक्त  गरेको भनाईप्रति ‘द ब्रिटिस कलेज’को ध्यानाकर्षण भएको छ ।

भ्रमण अगाडि विद्यार्थीहरुलाई दुवईमा गरिने  सम्पूर्ण  कार्यक्रम, नीति नियम तथा उनीहरुले पालना गर्नुपर्ने अनुशासन लगायतको बारेमा दुई चरणको ‘इन्डक्सन’ कलेजका प्रिन्सिपलबाट दिइएको थियो । उक्त भ्रमण कलेजको तर्फबाट अनिवार्य नभई इच्छुक विद्यार्थीहरुको लागि मात्र थियो । स्वयम विद्यार्थी गौरव श्रेष्ठ पनि आफ्नो अभिभावकको  लिखित स्वीकृतिमा उक्त भ्रमणमा सहभागी भएका थिए । यो भ्रमणमा पनि नेपाल छोड्नु अघि र दुवई घुम्नु अगाडि समुन्द्रमा पौडी खेल्न सख्त मनाही गरिएको थियोे । तर  कलेजको निर्देशन र नियमलाई अवज्ञा गर्दै पौडी खेल्दा उनको दुःखद निधन हुन पुग्यो । दुबई प्रहरीको फरेन्सीक रिपोर्टअनुसार गौरवलाई पानीमुनी डुबेको देख्ने बित्तिकै लाइफगार्डहरुले पानीबाट निकालेर प्राथमिक उपचार र सीपीआर पनि दिएका थिए । साथै उनलाई तत्कालै एम्बुलेन्सबाट अस्पताल लगिएको थियो । तर, दुर्भाग्यवश अस्पताल पुग्नुअघि नै उनको निधन भइसकेको अस्पतालले जानकारी दियो ।

दुर्घटना लगत्तै कलेजले कुनै कसर बाँकी नराखी जिम्मेवारीका साथ आफ्नो भूमिका निर्वाह गरेको थियो । घटनाको जानकारी पाउने बित्तिकै कलेजका सिइओ अफ्रिकाको भ्रमण तुरुन्तै रद्द गरेर फेब्रुअरी १६ को बिहानै ५ः३० (स्थानीय समय) मा घटनास्थलतर्फ पुगे । सोही समयमा घटनाको प्रभावकारी अनुसन्धानको लागि दुबईमा थप ३ जना व्यक्ति परिचालन गरियो भने नेपालमा पनि कलेजका उच्चपदस्थ व्यक्तिहरु प्रिन्सिपल, डिन र अप्रेसन डाइरेक्टर सहितको ३ जनाको समूह निर्माण गरियो । तत्कालै मृतक विद्यार्थीको नजिकको आफन्त धिरज श्रेष्ठलाई कलेजकै खर्चमा दुबई पठाइयो । तथ्य कुरा थाहा होस् भनेर विद्यार्थीका आफन्त धिरजलाई त्यहाँ पठाइएको थियो । दुबई प्रहरी र त्यहाँको अस्पतालको पोस्टमार्टम रिपोर्टअनुसार उक्त घटना दुर्भाग्यवश घटेको र पानीमा डुबेर निधन भएको घोषणा भयो ।

स्मरण रहोस्, दुबई प्रहरीले आफुलाई विश्वमै प्रतिष्ठित प्रहरीको रूपमा स्थापित गरेको छ । यदि  त्यो घटना अन्य प्रकृतिको भए सम्बन्धित व्यक्तिहरू कार्वाहीको दायरामा आइसक्ने र सम्बन्धित व्यक्तिहरू नेपाल आउने अनुमति पनि रोकिने थियो । कलेजको विशेष पहलमा गौरवको शव १ हप्तामै नेपाल ल्याउने सम्भव भएको थियो । अन्यथा ३–४ हप्ता लाग्नु सामान्य नै मान्ने गरिन्छ । यी सबै कुरा सम्भव गर्न कलेजको तर्फबाट ठूलै धनराशी खर्च भएको छ । कलेजले गौरवको  शवलाई सिराहासम्म लैजान सम्पुर्ण व्यवस्था मिलाएको थियो ।  गौरवको निधनले सम्पूर्ण ब्रिटिश कलेज परिवार गहिरो शोक र दुःखमा परेको छ । यो घटनामा कलेजले आफ्नो  प्रोटोकलमा रहेर सम्पुर्ण जिम्मेवारी र दायित्व निर्वाह गरेको छ ।

कलेजका उच्चपदस्थ व्यक्तिहरूले रात–दिन नै खटेर नेपालमा गौरवको शव ल्याउन र मृतक परिवारलाई सान्तवना र सहयोग दिन कुनै कसर बाँकी नराखेको जानकारी गराउछौँ । तर दुःखको कुरा उक्त घटनालाई लिएर कलेजको बारेमा नकारात्मक प्रचार सुरू भएकालेत्यस्तो कार्य नगर्न हामी सम्वन्धित सबैलाई विनम्र अनुरोध गर्दछौँ ।

एउटा परिवारले आफ्नो सदस्य गुमाउँदा हुने मर्म र दुःखलाई हामी राम्रोसँग बुझ्दछौँ । र, यस घटनाप्रति नेपालको सम्बन्धित प्रशासन र व्यक्तिहरूलाई कुनै पनि खालको अनुसन्धानमा सहयोग गर्न हामी सदा कटिबद्ध छौँ ।

द ब्रिटिस कलेज परिवार

थापाथली, काठमाडौँ

मार्च १३, २०१९

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