The mothers of the two murdered college students sit with other women in front of Daribhit High School. (Express photo/Subham Dutta)
Thwarting attempts to reopen Daribhit High School for the first time since a clash between police and local residents on September 20, women in the village on Monday locked the school gate and sat in front of it. Among them were the mothers of the two murdered college students, who said they would sit at the gate every day until their demand for a CBI probe is heard.
On September 20, students and local residents who were protesting against the appointment of two new teachers clashed with police on Daribhit school grounds. Following this, two 19-year-old college students — Rajesh Sarkar and Tapas Burman — died due to bullet injuries. Locals claimed that police firing led to the deaths, which officials denied.
“Yesterday, the school management used loudspeakers to call us for a meeting on school grounds. They called all guardians for a meeting today for the opening of this school. My innocent son was killed. Shot dead by police.
Another mother lost her son. Until a proper probe by CBI is initiated, we will not allow the school to open. I have locked it from outside,” Manju Burman, Tapas’s mother, told The Indian Express.
“If they want to re-open the school now, they will have to go through us. Every day, we will come here at 10 am and sit here till evening, throughout school hours. We want justice first and then peace in the area. How can peace come when the police is arresting our villagers?” said Jharna Sarkar, Rajesh’s mother, with a picture of her son in hand.
Villagers were seen putting up a canopy using bamboo poles and cloth to prepare a makeshift dharna site near the school gate.
“…police is conducting raids in the village and picking up men. Some have been arrested. Men in the village are sleeping in the fields at night due to fear of being arrested,” said Shakti Majumder, former gram panchayat member.
“We were told that administrative officials would come and talk us. Where are they? Where is the MLA? We all want the school to reopen but the administration must understand our plight and try to pay heed to our demands. Until they come and talk to us, how can we allow the school to open? Who will take responsibility if there is trouble once again?” said Majumder.
“Our children and their studies are suffering, but what about justice for the two youths? Why were the new teachers called and appointed on September 20, when two days before the school management gave a written undertaking that they do not want teachers in Urdu and Sanskrit?” asked Gobindo Mondol, a resident.
Meanwhile, school management committee members at the spot were seen calling up administrative officials.
Tapan Majumder, a member of the school management committee (government nominee) said, “What can we do. We called the meeting and we were told that administrative officials will be there. But they sent us here to face the villagers and chose to remain absent. We need to re-open the school and pleaded with guardians and villagers. They want their demands to be heard first. I even called up officials from here but they did not come. We will convey whatever the villagers have to say to the administration and look forward to a meeting on another day.”