School Headmaster assaulted

Imphal: An unknown assailant assaulted the headmaster of Irilbung Government High School, Imphal East, with an iron rod on Thursday.

Students, teachers, and non-teaching staff of the school staged a protest rally on the school campus, decrying the violence.

According to police, the incident occurred around 9:50 am when an unidentified individual entered the headmaster’s office and inquired about his whereabouts. The headmaster, Nongthombam Nilakumar, was then assaulted with an iron rod on his right shoulder.

Staff of the school rushed to the scene and immediately took Nilakumar to Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences.

Irilbung police station has registered a suo-motu case and has begun an investigation into the assault.

The attack appeared to have followed a monetary demand issued by the proscribed underground group Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP). A demand letter, dated October 25 with reference no. 524/Fin/KCP/24/01, was sent to the school principal, requesting Rs 5,000 annually from each teaching and non-teaching staff as a “service tax” from their monthly salaries.

The letter was signed by a self-styled deputy finance secretary of the Kangleipak Communist Party, Th. Bobby.

The school fraternity staged a sit-in in front of the school on Wednesday.

A staff member said the incident has created a tense atmosphere among both staff and students.

Students carried placards with slogans “We Want Justice,” “We Condemn Threats at Irilbung High School,” and “We Condemn Threatening Teachers in Academic

Students from various schools have staged protests, including human chains, demanding that schools be declared ‘free education zones.’