IMPHAL, July 25: Normal classes at Sainik School, Imphal were affected today after the students went on to protest the Principal’s alleged misconduct of thrashing some students.
According to some reliable source, some students of Class-IX reportedly played joke to one their class fellows, named Kosham Bhatt who happens to be the son of the school’s Principal on July 14. After the incident on the same day the Principal Col Ravikumar Bhatt reportedly called in four students of Class-IX to his room and thrashed them severely even using abusive words. The students did not utter a single word about the incident. However, some students beat up the Principal’s son yesterday after he threatened his class fellows to rusticate them from the school anytime he desires.
In the aftermath of the incident, the students today protested against the misconduct of the Principal and demanded the authorities concerned to remove him from the school.
The matter was later settled after a joint meeting of the students, parents and school authorities was convened in the afternoon.
It may be mentioned that the school has seen such ugly incidents three times before during the tenure of the Principal Col Ravikumar Bhatt.
A release of PRO PIB (Defence Wing) later clarified that the Principal had demonstrated the acts of bullying to the cdts of class IX and X so as to root out the menace from the school.
At that juncture the cdts had promised to help the school authorities to root it out. It may be noted that cadets’ conduct code was implemented from this academic session. This is a system of awarding positive points for good behavior and negative points for ill discipline bahaviour.
On July 24, after dinner cdts of class IX and class X resorted to slogan shouting to withdraw the cadets conduct code and cooked up their stories on 14 July incident. All these cdts ill behavior was tolerated till late in the night on assurance of the withdrawal of the code and the cdts dispersed on 25 Jul 2011. After breakfast, these cadets restarted their agitation and slogan shouting. These cdts bolted the Principal inside the auditorium, used abusive language and broke the furniture. All throughout the period of about 16 hours the entire school ensured no physical harm is done to them. Teachers tried to force open the auditorium gate to ensure safety of the Principal. On this cdts got further agitated and used abusive language against the female teachers. The otherwise calm lady teachers barged inside the auditorium and persuaded the cadets to disperse. On seeing the humiliation of lady teachers, Principal reiterated his promise of withdrawal of the code card and expressed his public apology for having hurt the sentiments of some cadets. The cdts then dispersed to their dormitories.
However, on being informed by behind the scene master, the cdts restarted agitation to get press coverage. In the opinion of the cadets press and parents can get their all demands met. In the evening, the parents’ body and Old Boyd Alumina had a discussion with the school authorities and were handed over a written letter against taking any disciplinary action and withdrawal of the code of conduct card. However, on seeing the code card they requested not to withdraw it. Parents and school authorities are having another meeting on the issue on coming Sunday. School authorities wish to put on second commendable efforts of senior cadets(class XI and XII) in trying to pacify and persuade the unruly crowd of the class VII to X cadets, the release added.