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Weeks after Sonbhadra killings, govt orders: Open two schools for SCs, STs

Residents of Umbha village, however, still fear sending their children to the existing primary school, 2 km away

Sonbhadra killings, schools for SC STs, Sonbhadra murder, UP news, indian express The DM, along with the basic education department officials, have been visiting the Umbha villagers to assure them that security measures are in place. Express

Nearly a month after 10 people from Gond community were killed in an attack allegedly by the pradhan of Umbha village in Sonbhadra and his henchmen over a land conflict, the Uttar Pradesh government has issued directives to the district administration to open two residential schools for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes children. The residents of the village, however, still fear to send their children to the existing government upper primary school, two kilometres away.

One of the new residential schools would be set up for girls, while the other for boys, said an official statement.
The girls’ school will be constructed at Murtiya village in Ghorawal, Pargana Barhar; and the boys’ school will come up in Pargana Searia of Robertsganj, the statement said, adding that the directives were issued at a meeting chaired by the chief secretary on Thursday.

The schools would be on lines of Centre-run Navodaya vidyalayas.

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Meanwhile, the district magistrate (DM), along with the basic education department officials, have been visiting the Umbha villagers to assure them of security, urging them to start sending their children to the primary school.
On Thursday, Basic Shiksha Adhikari, Sonbhadra, Dr Gorakhnath Patel and Block Education Officer Uday Pratap visited the village and met the children and their families.

While the principal said that the villagers were scared and reluctant to send their children to the school, the district magistrate and basic education officer claimed the situation is normal.

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“A few days after the killing, the students from the village had started coming to the school, but, recently, rumours spread that the pradhan’s aides were planning another attack on the villagers, following which the people stopped sending their children,” said Principal Ashok Kumar Yadav.

Of the total 117 students at the school, 61 are from Umbha village, Yadav added.

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The principal further said, they talked to the families of the students and convinced them that what they were hearing was rumour only. “Following consistent efforts, some of the villagers became ready to send their children to the school. Today, 35 children from Umbha village attended the school,” said Yadav.

A villager, Bhagwan Das, said a week back, his son Pawar, who is a student of Class VIII, was returning home with other children from the school when some unidentified persons stopped them. “They threatened them to throw them in a pond because we have sent the pradhan to jail. On returning home, Pawar told me and we held a meeting in the village where it was decided it would not be safe to send children in that area.”

Das claimed that he had informed about the matter to police force present in the village.

Another local resident Basant Lal said for the last four days, teachers, principal and other government officials were visiting the village and assuring them that there was nothing to fear. “Some of us have now agreed to send our children to the school, but still many are avoiding,” said Lal.

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District Magistrate S Rajalingam, however, said there is no problem in the village. “Children are attending classes. I also went to the village and found that the situation was normal. There is no issue of fear.”
Basic Shiksha Adhikari Dr Gorakhnath Patel echoed Rajalingam, saying he spoke to the children and found there was no such issue.

About the two new schools, the DM said that he was yet to get a letter from the government in this regard.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announce that his government would be setting up the schools, during his visit to the district after the massacre.

On July 17, 10 people were killed and 28 others injured in Umbha village when head Yaghya Dutt, along with associates, went to allegedly take possession of the disputed land, which they claimed to have purchased two years back. Sonbhadra police have so far arrested 55 persons, including pradhan Dutt, in the case. All accused are lodged in Sonbhadra jail.

First uploaded on: 10-08-2019 at 06:22 IST
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