Students ‘attack’ teacher who spoke about J&K special status

On Tuesday, students held a demonstration and boycotted classes seeking action against the teacher. They were later persuaded by the school principal to return to their classes. “We can say something only after the teacher comes to school. He is now on leave,” the principal said.

The teacher had reportedly told the students on Friday that the Centre had followed proper procedure in scrapping J&K’s special status, and spoken about the potential benefits of the move. When the school reopened on Monday, the teacher was taking a class when a group of students barged in and attacked him.

The teacher claimed he had only answered students’ queries on Article 370, the procedure for abrogation of special status and its impact on people. On Monday, he said, some students from higher classes entered the classroom and asked two students to stand up. “When I intervened, one of the intruders locked the doors from inside while others beat me. I managed to come out of the classroom on the first floor, but the assailants tried to throw me down,” he said.

While the principal was on leave, other teachers locked their colleague in a classroom to protect him from students and an angry mob that had gathered outside the school building.

Police arrived, and the teacher was taken to hospital. Doctors kept him under observation for 24 hours before discharging him on Tuesday, the teacher said.

Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were reimposed in Mandi area of Poonch district after nearly a week of these being lifted.