Lucknow school rusticates 6 students after Republic Day rehearsal violence

Lucknow: The Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey Sainik School in Lucknow has rusticated six students, terminated a staff member and served a show cause notice to another, a day after students of Sainik School and St Joseph College clashed during the Republic Day parade rehearsal.

Meanwhile, the Unaided Private Schools Association (UPSA), UP, has lodged a complaint with District Magistrate Suryapal Gangwar against Sainik School cadets.

The letter said the boys of Sainik School hurled abuses and assaulted 74 students of St Joseph College.

Also, 25 girls in the bagpipes band, who accompanied students, were harassed by Sainik School boys.

Sainik School principal Col Rajesh Raghav, said: "It all started with a verbal spat between the students of St Joseph School and Sainik School. It soon turned ugly and both groups came to blows. The incident was out in the open and that too in broad daylight.

"I immediately reached the spot and brought the situation under control. In a complaint letter by UPSA, it has been said that school cadets were involved in violence and students of St Joseph were on the receiving end. It is a pack of lies. Both the groups were at fault as students of both groups got wounded. As far as the charges of harassment are concerned, it is clear that the issue is being stretched to a dirty level.

"Soon after the incident, the school withdrew its contingent from the RD Parade, in which we win prizes almost every year. A staff member who escorted the cadets has been terminated while another has been issued a show cause notice. Though the incident is condemnable and a matter of concern, this volley of baseless allegations and portraying the students of St Joseph as holy cows is equally unfortunate. "

The authorities said Sainik School administration took the moral responsibility and a series of actions are testimony to the fact.

Founder manager of St Joseph College Anil Agarwal, meanwhile, also lodged a complaint with the District Inspector of All School Rakesh Kumar, district magistrate Suryapal Ganwar, director general school education Vijay Kiran Anand and Lucknow Police Commissioner S.B. Shirodkar.

"Our school principal Amita Singh informed that students of Sainik School are beating up our students with belts and boots. She told that one of our class 9 girl students was harassed by a boy from Sainik School during rehearsals. The girl's brother who is our class 9 student was also part of the parade and had a fight with that boy," said Agarwal.

"When the boy fought on behalf of his sister, the Sainik School cadet called his classmates and beat up our students. Teachers somehow saved the students and took them to a private hospital for treatment. Even two of our lady teachers were also injured in the incident. Our 34 students, including girls, were injured. As many as five students have got serious head injuries. I want strict action in the matter."