LOUIS RODRIGUES
BELGAvi
Activists of Yuva Sena -- a youth wing of Shiv Sena -- have been accused of vandalising the office of Holy Cross High School, a girls convent school in Kolhapur on Tuesday afternoon.
Kolhapur Police has arrested 13 persons and about seven others are absconding in connection with the incident, which has evoked widespread criticism among parents of schoolchildren and Catholic religious leaders.
According to the school management, the incident took place during school hours at about 1.30 pm, when the vandals damaged furniture, computers etc.
Sr Bharati, headmistress of the primary section of the school, said about 20 activists forcibly entered the school campus shouting slogans against the school management and ransacked the office, while the bewildered nuns, KG students and members of the staff helplessly looked on.
“They entered the campus forcibly, told me that parents were complaining about the building fees and started abusing me and the staff members.”
“When I requested them to maintain calm and offered to discuss the issue in a peaceful manner, they started breaking the office furniture and glasses of the windows. They also damaged the religious items like the statues and cross in the office,” Sr Bharati said.
“Ours is a school for girls. The attack was so sudden and heinous, that girl students from the lower classes were trembling with fear and are still in a state of shock. It was a traumatic situation and we could do nothing except watch the act of vandalism,” Sr Bharati added.
After a police complaint that was lodged at Shahupuri police station late Tuesday evening, Kolhapur police arrested 13 persons while 7 others are absconding.
“We have taken a serious note of the incident. Apart from providing police protection to the institution, we have taken 13 persons into custody, while seven others are absconding,” said Kolhapur Superintendent of Police Abhinav Deshmukh.
Meanwhile, the Holy Cross Convent management on Wednesday declared that the school would remain closed till the vandals were arrested and security is provided to the school.
Christians of Kolhapur and parents of the school children, who had gathered in large number at the school campus on Wednesday morning, staged protests and submitted separate memorandums to Collector of Kolhapur Avinash Subhedar, a copy of which was submitted to SP Abhinav Deshmukh.
While the Christians have asked for the protection for the Christian institutions and churches in the city, the parents have condemned the act as being heinous.
“We condemn the act of vandalism and are concerned about the security of our daughters, hence we support the management,” the parents have stated in their
memorandum.
Church leaders condemn vandalism
BELGAUM: Condemning the aggression and vandalism at the Holy Cross High School in Kolhapur on Tuesday, Church leaders have said such acts were not the way to settle issues in a civilized society.
Raising concern about the incident, Bishop Thomas Dabre of Pune said: “I am sorry and saddened to learn about the attack. We are always open for discussion on any matter and issue, therefore there was no need for such an aggressive reaction on the part of the assailants.”
“This is not the way to settle issues in a civilised society. All church-run institutions are intended to serve people, especially the poor and marginalized. We in the diocese of Pune are totally with our nuns at the Holy Cross High School and extend our full support,” Bishop Dabre said.
He also assured that the matter would be taken at higher level after discussion with the nuns.
Archbishop of Bangalore Peter Machado has also condemned the act of vandalism, stating that the act against the Christian institution was certainly a deep cause for concern.
“The matter would be discussed in the ongoing meeting of the CBCI in Bangalore,” he said.
