Kathmandu: Three buses of a Delhi Public School branch in eastern Nepal were set afire by activists of a student`s union affiliated to the breakaway hardline faction of the Maoists, protesting against schools running under foreign investment.
The buses carrying 150 students of class XI and XII were enroute Dharan yesterday, when the radical Maoist student activists stopped it near Charkose Jungle area at Seuti Khola river and set it on fire.
However, all students were safe and another school bus was sent to rescue them later.
The student union -- All Nepal National Free Students Union - Revolutionary (ANNFSUR) is affiliated to the CPN-Maoist party led by hardliner Mohan Vaidya "Kiran" who recently broke away ranks with the Prachanda-led Maoists to form a more radical outfit.
Delhi Public School Dharan is affiliated to India`s Delhi Public School.
The union had also enforced a two-day shutdown in Dharan and Sunsari districts over the last two days to protest against schools operating under foreign investments, promoting foreign culture and charging high fees.
Some eight student unions have been protesting since the past few months.
However, ANNFSU-R close to the CPN-Maoist was mainly responsible for the attack carried out yesterday, sources said.
"It`s a heinous crime to attack school buses despite the fact that schools are declared peace zone," Dil Kumar Ban, Chairman of Private and Boarding School Organisation Nepal (PABSON) said in a statement.
PTI
