KSO Gunpi Block washes hands off arson at school
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 02 2019: In light of the allegations against Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) Gunpi Block in connection with the burning down of ST Joseph's Higher Secondary School, Sugnu, on the night of April 25, the students body has declared that the accusation hurled towards it has been conceived by some group with vested interest and is a conspiracy to malign KSO's image.

A press release issued by the student body today admitted that KSO Gunpi Block did take a decision to close down the school and claimed that the decision to do so was solely to save the career of the 6 young students who were placed under suspension by the school authority.

KSO claimed that it repeatedly appealed to Father Dominic but all the appeals were in vain and the KSO Gunpi Block saw no other alternative than to close down the school so as to bring the school authority to the negotiation table.

Stating that it did what had to be done as student leaders, KSO Gunpi Block mentioned that it has no regret over it as it was a decision to save the career of the said students and charged that as a Catholic Christian school, the Principal of the school should have cared for the six students.

It continued that on the first day of the school closure, the executives of the organisation went to the school and found that many people were assembled at the school protesting KSO Gunpi Block's action.

Stating that the body took it as a challenge to its authority, it admitted that the volunteers used some unwise and regrettable words which hurt the sentiments of the people as well as some unintentional words which could wrongly implicate them in the crime.

However, at the end of the day, the school authority relented and decided to hold a discussion so as to bring an amicable solution, it added.

KSO Gunpi Block conveyed that on April 25, at around 4.30 pm, a meeting was held with the Parish Pastoral Council at its (KSO) office during which all parties mutually agreed to solve the problems and decided to hold another meeting at 10 am the next day.

At 7 pm, the meeting concluded but at around 9.40 pm, news came that the school building was on fire, it informed, claiming that some of the KSO members even went to douse the fire and save the building.

However, the student body alleged that the mob which had gathered at the area began to abuse the KSO volunteers and started accusing them of starting the fire, it claimed, adding that some people wielding weapons and sticks even chased and threatened to kill the volunteers which forced them to run for their lives owing to the prevalent mob culture in the State.

KSO Gunpi Block than asked why it would commit the arson after taking all the trouble for reconciling with the school authority and the issues were to be settled the next day and why its volunteers would go out of their way to save the building from the fire if they had started it.

Further asking what proofs the JAC have for accusing KSO of the crime, it questioned why the JAC is hesitant to disclose the names and identities of the people who had set the building on fire.

Claiming innocence in the matter once again, KSO Gunpi Block alleged that the JAC seems to have been formed with the intent to instigate the public against the student body and reasoned that it will be in the mutual interest of both parties if the JAC stops making such allegations against KSO Gunpi Block.

Two KSO members have been in police custody for the last five days but their guilt has not been established even now.

As such, it is reasonable to demand for the immediate and unconditional release of the two individuals, it added.

KSO Gunpi Block then stated that its members are prepared to surrender to the investigating authority but have decided to evade arrest so that the truth can be revealed in due course of time.

It continued that despite its lack of any involvement in the arson, it has been learnt that the circumstantial, human and material evidence collected directly point to involvement of KSO Gunpi Block in the arson and as such, for the student body to surrender to the authority would be unwise as it is being pronounced guilty before being proven so.

Urging the police to find the real culprit, KSO alleged that it will require the cooperation of the people of the area to reveal the lies.

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