MSF, YFPHR question school authority on student's death
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 29 2016:
Manipur Students' Federation (MSF) has questioned the authorities of Residential Kids' Care School located at Game Village, Zone- II on the death of Tongbram Suresh (14) alias Malangba, s/o T Bira of Bishnupur Toupokpi Ward-2, a standard VI student of the school, on August 27 .
Addressing media persons today at the federation's head office here in Imphal today, MSF vice-president Khundrakpam Max alleged that the school authorities tortured the student for not paying school fees in time.
Such attitude towards the student communities is condemned at the highest level, he added.
Suresh joined the school in 2012.As his parents could not pay the school fees on time, Suresh left school in 2014 but continued to stay at the hostel doing all forms of odd jobs.
In January this year, Suresh was allegedly caught stealing food from other students for which school authorities stopped him from working at the school but allowed him to stay on at the hostel.
Following scarcity of food, he started eating food grains (treated with pesticides and insecticides) which were meant for plantation, Max said.
Suresh was taken ill afterward and when his parents visited him on August 12, school authorities denied their request to take their child home for treatment as they have not cleared the fees.
On August 26 at around 9 pm, school authorities brought Suresh home and the following day Suresh passed away on his way to the hospital.
MSF general secretary Keisham Romeo alleged that the careless acts of the school authorities had led to the death of the young student.
To prevent such incidents in future, MSF along with the people of the State will launch a campaign to see if schools and educational institutions have permission to run boarding or hostels, he added.
He further urged all the parents to be very careful and verify the credibility of the boarding or hostel before sending their wards.
In the meantime, Youth Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) has urged the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights to intervene in the matter.
They have also urged the DGP to book the perpetrators and punish them according to the law for driving the young boy to death.