Babysana's death case : Mob attacks Court, anticipatory bail for Principal rejected
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 01 2019: JAC members and irate locals attempted to storm Cheirap Court complex today warning against extending anticipatory bail any further for Standard Robarth Hr Secondary School Principal Pheiroijam Landhoni and her daughter Ph Romita (coordinator) .

During the incident, the irate people even resorted to throwing stones and eggs at the police personnel deployed to control the situation.

After getting information about the anticipatory bail hearing of Landhoni and Romita today, a large number of people consisting of JAC members, Khwairamband Keithel women vendors etc, began making their way to Cheirap Court complex.

Babysana's death case : Mob attacks Court, anticipatory bail for Principal rejected

Acting swiftly, a large number of Imphal West police personnel, including representatives of the District Magistrate, rushed to the site to control the situation which led to a huge scuffle.

To prevent the mob from advancing further, police closed off the road leading from under the flyover bridge to Uripok.

But after an agreement was reached with the authorities, Babysana's mother and some members of the JAC were allowed to enter the Court complex.

However, the situation did not improve and tension shot up between the mob and the police resulting in the people throwing eggs and stones at the police personnel and the police firing smoke bombs to disperse the mob.

On the other hand, speaking to media persons president of Thangmeiband Apunba Nupi Lup L Gyaneshori said that the JAC and the people have been demanding arrest and interrogation of Landhoni and her daughter Romita to get to the bottom of the incident surrounding the mysterious death of Ningthoujam Babysana inside the hostel of Standard Robarth Hr Sec School in the morning of July 18.If their anticipatory bail keeps getting extended, justice will not be delivered, she claimed.

On the other hand, Session Judge, Imphal West, rejected the anticipatory bail applications filed by the founder cum Principal of Standard Robarth Hr Secondary School as well as the school's coordinator today, apart from cancelling the previous interim order passed by the same Court.

The anticipatory bail applications were filed on July 20 by Principal Pheiroijam Landhoni (62) w/o Pheiroijam Ibohal of Canchipur (near Manipur University Gate) and coordinator Pheiroijam Romita Devi w/o Karam Raja of Kwakeithel Thiyam Leikai and they had been on interim bail till today.

During the hearing today, the counsel of the petitioners (Landhoni and Romita) submitted that Landhoni and Romita have been the founder cum Principal and coordinator of the school since 1994 and 2005 respectively.

In the morning of July 18, a minor boarder was found hung to death inside one of the rooms located on the first floor of the school's girl hostel.

Following the incident, a JAC was formed and most of the pressure groups pointed their fingers at the school authority alleging foul play and after the case became a sensation, an FIR was registered.

The counsels further claimed that petitioners are innocent and had no hand in the death of the minor girl.

They alleged that after the death of the minor became a media sensation, the investigation has undergone a drastic change from its normal course and under the influence of many factors, the investigation is not properly directed and instead, the petitioners have been shown as accused in the eyes of the public.

The nature of the case will not come under murder as the death occurred in the midst of 36 children who are housed in the same room, the counsel contended They submitted that the petitioners are cooperating in the investigation and they will not abscond and there is no likelihood of tempering with the prosecution evidence which negates the need for custodial interrogation of the petitioners.

Murder and abetment of suicide cannot go together and no offence is made against the petitioners, they explained.

On the other hand, the Additional Public Prosecutor of the State submitted that the petitioners are the founder cum principal and coordinator of the school who have been in actual charge and control of the institution.

The APP mentioned that it also came to light that corporal punishments were used against the students and the school also defied the guidelines on child safety issued by the Supreme Court.

The APP explained that investigation is going on currently and custodial interrogation of the two petitioners is required to extract more clues in connection with the case.

After going through the case diary, the Court ruled that the circumstances leading to the death of the minor need proper investigation.

Mentioning that there are two separate buildings for the school, the Court observed that the residential school does not cater to the guidelines of the Supreme Court as submitted by the APP.

The Court further opined that the case diary also shows that the investigation is going on in full swing and custodial interrogation of the petitioners is required for proper investigation and collection of evidence.

As such, the Court rejected the anticipatory bail petitions filed by the two individuals and also cancelled their interim bail.