West Bengal governor questions behaviour of guardians who ransacked school

KOLKATA: The vandalism by guardians at a Christian missionary school two days ago led West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan to question their behaviour today, as the Association of Christian Schools decided to keep institutions under it closed on September 19.

"I am depressed. If parents don't have discipline, what can you expect from the children?" Narayanan told reporters here about the vandalism at the Christ Church Girls' School at Dum Dum on September 12.

The vandalism followed the death a day earlier of a class five girl student, Oindrila Das, who was allegedly locked in a toilet by her seniors.

Three persons, two guardians and an outsider, were arrested during the day after being charged with intrusion, vandalism and some other sections of the IPC and remanded to police custody, police sources said.

Yesterday, the principal of the school, Helen Sarkar, was remanded to police custody after her arrest on September 12 following the death of the student.

A spokesman of the Association of Christian Schools here said that Christian missionary schools and colleges in West Bengal would remain closed on September 19 to protest the vandalism at the Christ Church school.

He said that the school authorities met at the Bishop House during the day to discuss the vandalism and the arrest of the principal 'under pressure'.