Odapada: Tension prevailed after irate villagers and family members brutally assaulted the headmaster and teachers of Indipur High School under Sadar police limits in Dhenkanal district and ransacked the school premises following the suspected death of a class-IX girl of the school Saturday.
The deceased, a native of Dengaborei village, died under mysterious circumstances at her house Friday night. While the reason behind her death is yet to be ascertained, family members hurriedly burnt up the body without lodging a complaint with the police and post-mortem. This made the case all the more mysterious.
While some claimed that the victim committed suicide over a love affair, family members alleged that she ended her life after she was scolded by the teachers over some issue. On being informed, Sadar police rushed to the spot and started an investigation.
The incident occurred when over 300 men and women barged into the school premises and beat up headmaster Siba Prasad Pal and teachers and ransacked its premises during school hours.
They did not even spare the women teachers present in the school. The scene of villagers chasing teachers and assaulting them created a very unpleasant scene in the area. Irate villagers allegedly threatened the headmaster and his colleagues of dire consequences by brandishing sharp-edged weapons.
The incident sent shiver down the spine not only among teachers but students who were busy attending classes. The teachers and students ran helter-skelter to save their lives as the villagers chased the former and assaulted them.
While the deceased’s family members have not filed any complaint, the headmaster later lodged a complaint against Damodar Swain, Jayanti Rout, Rashmiranjan Rout and others of Dengaborei village for assault and ransacking of the school premises. However, police are yet to register any case over the complaint said, IIC Haibandhu Swain of the police station.
When contacted, HM Pal admitted to the incident, stating he has lodged a complaint with the police. Indipur sarpanch Raj Kishore Rout condemned the incident and demanded stringent action against the culprits. PNN