Garhwa (Jharkhand), Aug 13: A protest by students of a Plus Two High School in Garhwa’s Kandi block over the transfer of acting headmaster Malay Kumar Singh escalated on Thursday, with demonstrators allegedly pelting stones at a police station, leaving a policeman injured.
The students had initially blocked a road demanding cancellation of Singh’s transfer order and his continuation at the school.
The situation reportedly worsened after the block chief reached the spot to persuade the students to lift the blockade. The official was allegedly accused of slapping a student during the interaction, triggering further anger among the protesters.
The protesters subsequently allegedly vandalised the block chief’s vehicle before moving towards the police station and pelting stones at it. A police personnel sustained injuries in the incident.
Additional police personnel were deployed in the area following the escalation, while police and administrative officials held talks with the students in an effort to restore normalcy.
The students claimed Singh had joined the school around two months ago and had brought improvements in academic standards and discipline. They alleged that the charges against him were unfounded and said his transfer could adversely affect the functioning of the institution.
The protesters also highlighted the school’s alleged teacher shortage, claiming that the institution has around 2,000 students but is short of 17 teachers across different subjects.
The students have put forward two major demands — cancellation of Singh’s transfer and action against the block chief over the alleged assault on a student.
There were no direct verbatim statements from students, police or administrative officials in the information available. The students’ reported position is that Singh’s performance had improved the school’s academic environment and that he should be retained at the institution.
Authorities are continuing efforts to defuse the situation and restore normalcy in the area.
