Classes resume after 3-day unrest

JAGATSINGHPUR: Normalcy was restored at Sri Maa Nodal Vidyapeeth after three days of unrest over students’ demand to transfer the headmaster and some teachers. Classes were held at the institution amid tight security on Thursday. The school students, earlier in the day, staged a demonstration and locked the main gate seeking fulfilment of their demands. They also demanded arrest of 17 persons who allegedly pelted stones at them and attacked local mediapersons. 

Block Education Officer, Kujang Sudarsan Nanda rushed to the spot and assured the students that two more teachers will be appointed in the school. The students then relented and attended classes in the presence of police personnel. Sources said tension still prevails in the area.

The parents of the students said they are living in panic as the miscreants, involved in stone pelting, have threatened them with dire consequences. They later lodged an FIR  in Paradip police station. 
District Education Officer Prativa Manjari Das said as per the demand of students, two teachers of English and Hindi have been posted in  the school. She said no complaint has been received against the headmaster and a few teachers of the school, who allegedly came to the school drunk. 
IIC of Paradip Lock police station Bharat Charan Behera said two cases have been filed in connection with attack on journalists. “While one person has been arrested in the scribe attack case, those involved in pelting stones at the protesting students are yet to be nabbed,” he said.

Meanwhile, journalists, under the banner of Paradip Press Media (PPM), led by its president Basant Kumar Sahu, held a meeting here on Thursday. The journalists  came down on the police for its failure to nab the accused. They also criticised the  headmaster and Sarpanch of Paradeepgarh for their inaction.
Hundreds of students had been protesting for the last three days seeking fulfilment of their demands, including transfer of teachers who came to work drunk and appointment of more teachers. On Wednesday, a few miscreants pelted stones at the students. Four persons, including one journalist, were injured in the attack.