School kid drowns, tension grips school
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 28 2018:
Tension gripped the campus of Leishemba Maheikol at Kangla Chingarel, Imphal East today following the retrieval of the corpse of a 15 year old student cum boarder of the school from Iril River at around 12.30 am, after the boy allegedly fell into the river yesterday while taking bath and remained missing since then.
The victim, identified as one K Dinachandra (15) s/o of K Meghachandra of Kwakeithel Heinou Khongnembi, Imphal West, was reportedly taking a bath along with 14 other inmates/boarders and the warden of his school, at Iril River, near the school yesterday at around 2.30 pm.
Meghachandra along with his family had been residing at Kharasol Awang Leikai, Imphal East since the past many months.
The body of Dinachandra (who was studying in class X) was recovered around 300 metres away from the place where he went missing, after a massive joint search by the SDRF, Manipur Fire Service and locals of Kharsol Awang Leikai and its surrounding areas, which began from early morning today.
Families and locals of the deceased boy brought the corpse and kept it at the premise of the school cum boarding and protested the school authorities' gross negligence in looking after its students and for sending the boarders, unsupervised, to Iril River despite high water level.
They also demanded appropriate action to be taken against the school authorities.
A joint police team of Lamlai PS and Imphal East District, led by two Additional SPs of Imphal East, arrived at the scene and controlled the situation on time.
Khurai A/C MLA L Sushindro (Yaima) and Naoriya Pakhanglakpa A/C MLA S Subhashchandra also arrived at the scene to pacify the crowd.
They also assured the protesters that the involved school authorities will be arrested at the earliest.
A source informed that the Principal cum Founder of the school and the warden have been pulled up by Imphal East District police today in connection with the incident.
It is also said that a JAC in connection with the death of the school boy was also formed.
The source went on to inform that the corpse of the boy was deposited at JNIMS morgue and is yet to be claimed by the family members.
On the other hand, Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) and DCPU, Imphal East district, led by the Chairperson of MCPCR went on a spot enquiry regarding the death of the boy today.
Viewing the incident as a serious negligence of child care, the commission has taken up a suo moto case.