BJP seeks Bengal school principal’s arrest
By IANSMonday, June 14, 2010
KOLKATA - Activists of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) youth wing staged a protest outside La Martiniere for Boys school here and demanded the arrest of the principal and four teachers who allegedly tortured a student who later committed suicide.
“We are protesting against the torture perpetrated by the principal… we demand immediate arrest of the principal and the teachers involved in this crime,” said Amitava Ray, a leader of BJP’s youth wing.
Rouvanjit Rowla, a Class 8 student, hanged himself Feb 12.
A police complaint has been filed by the boy’s father against the principal and four teachers alleging that his son was driven to take his life following repeated humiliation and torture.
The allegation comes less than a month after the arrest of a teacher of the same school for allegedly demanding a laptop from a student to promote him to a higher class and then failing the child as his parents refused to meet his demand.
After the incidents triggered a controversy, the West Bengal government has announced that it would form an authority where students and their parents can express their grievances about schools and teachers.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also conducted a probe and expressed dissatisfaction over the teaching environment in the school.
