Chingmeirong Upper Primary School headmistress and the staff on Friday condemned the act of firing of tear gas shells during school hours in and around the school premises on Wednesday, while urging the authority concerned to save the sanctity of the school and bring an immediate and permanent resolution of the issue for the wellbeing of the students.
A release signed by headmistress N Shantila Devi and the staff of the school stated that around 1 pm during school hours on September 9, representatives of SDC, Heingang Imphal East approached the school with a legal order for land demarcation scheduled for 7.30 am of Wednesday.
On the said day, a huge crowd gathered in front of the school which led to conflict between the crowd and the police forces, it added.
Owing to the volatile situation and possible disruption, the authorities concerned, including the ZEO, Zone II, AI, DI were informed of the situation, it stated. And as advised by the authorities, the students were sent back home for their safety, while the teachers were compelled to stay and hold ground in fear of losing school property due to the legal dispute, it stated.
“Between 11.30 am till 12 noon, the ensuing tension escalated and the police began firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowds. Several rounds were also fired towards the school campus as well,” it read. Many protestors ran inside the school premises seeking cover, and many teachers also suffered in the process, it continued.
It condemned such disruption and violence within the school premises, stating that many students are absent from school in fear of their safety in the following days. It also mentioned that most of the students of the school are from underprivileged families.
As per the local history, the school ground or the UJB ground in contention has been used by the locals and the school as a playground and for other purposes, including school assembly and sports activities since the establishment of the Chingmeirong Upper Primary School in 1982, it added.
