Arson at two govt schools, jailed teachers total 152
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 15 2011: Two government schools in Imphal were set afire today by agitating students as the government remains adamant in addressing the demands for resumption of normal classes in their schools.

Security has been beefed up in and around the government schools in Imphal and its outskirts following the incidents.

Young people suspected to be students set afire CC Hr Sec School around 11.30 am.

Security personnel nearby rushed to the school campus on seeing a huge smoke rising from inside the school campus.

They rang up the Imphal Fire Station which rushed there with three tenders.

The fire that raged through the Fatima Memorial Hall of the school spread from the nearby abandoned school canteen.

The fire was doused before its spread to the adjacent structures.

It took around an hour to put the fire under control.

The chowkidar of the school suspects two youths who looked like students.

No other students came today except for the two youths.

They came separately, one on a scooter and the other on a bicycle.

After enquiring of a teacher of the school, they parked their scooter and cycle inside the school and left the place saying that they were going to Kangla.

Soon after they left, a fire was detected and security personnel nearby were alarmed of the fire inside the school campus.

Police seized the scooter (MNB-9678) and cycle left behind by the two youths.

Earlier, another school at Takyelkhongbal, the Govt Model Hr Sec School, was also attempted to be set on fire around 10.30 am.

Local people put off the fire before it damaged the school building.

Except some desks and benches of a room, no other damages were reported in the fire.

Agitating students are suspected to be behind the acts of arson.

School functioning has been disturbed since school teachers went on a fast-unto-death stir demanding adoption of revised pay bands recommended by the 6th pay commission.

Students had launched a series of agitations from February 12 like throwing of text books at the CM's bungalow and the Raj Bhavan.

When a 24-hour deadline set by them expired on Sunday, they intensified their stir by locking up schools.

Teachers under the banner of the COTA are on fast unto death for the last one month demanding adoption of the revised pay bands of the 6th Pay Commission.

Police have so far arrested and put behind bars 152 teachers on the charge of attempting to commit suicide.

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