Shaken by violence, school seeks security from police

Bhopal: The school where half a dozen men unleashed violence on Thursday is still reeling in shock and has sought police protection.The violence in this well known school has sent shockwaves through the city. Police have registered what they call a counter-FIR against school office-bearers, including the 75-year-old chairman, who is accused of assault.No arrest has been made more than 48 hours after the assault on a school secretary and his elderly during school hours by a group of ABVP members. ABVP has expressed regret for the violence but the incident has shaken the school staff, students and their parents.While the school management demands registration of a strong case against the accused, Shahpura police have registered an FIR of assault against school functionaries on the basis of a ‘counter-complaint’. The school management alleged that some ABVP members entered the campus on Thursday and demanded money from them for enrolling students in their organisation. When the school refused, they created a ruckus and assaulted school secretary Abhinav and his 75-year-old father elderly father Gyanendra Bhatnagar. Abhinav said on Saturday “I am not in a good condition due to multiple injuries. My brother met the police commissioner and gave a memorandum a day earlier. We want protection for the school and also demand recreation of the incident so that all facts can come to light. We want safety of our teachers and students and demand police security, he said, adding that the family needs time to recover after the incident. Investigation officer Jagantah Partati acknowledged that no arrest has been made in the case yet. Statements of the witnesses would be recorded as the investigation proceeds. The Bhatnagars have been informed about the counter FIR registered against them, he added.After the incident on Thursday Abhinav filed an FIR, naming two of the accused as Mridul and Shivaji as he heard them calling each other by name. Acting on Abhinav’s complaint, Shahpura police registered a case against half a dozen ABVP members, including the two named.On the other hand, one Shivansh Pandey had filed the complaint that led to the FIR against Gyanendra Bhatnagar, chairman of the school, and Abhinav, the secretary. His medical examination was carried out on Thursday night and he was found to have suffered scratches in one of his hands, said police. Pandey’s injuries were not serious but police felt it was enough to accused the school office-bearers, including the 75-year-old of assault. The counter FIR was registered under bailable sections. No one has been arrested so far, police added.Police commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra has said there will be no injustice in the case.