Kathmandu: The UN has said it is deeply concerned over increasing attacks on schools in Nepal as it endangers students` lives and jeopardises their studies, after buses belonging to a Delhi Public School branch were attacked.
"The UN System expresses its deep concern on increasing number of incidents of attacks on school buses by some youth activists endangering the lives of students and jeopardising their studies," a UN statement said.
The statement of concern came after student activists affiliated to the Mohan Vaiya-led radical breakaway faction of the Maoists set afire a DPS bus and vandalised another in eastern Nepal as part of protests against foreign investment in schools.
Recalling that the government of Nepal had signed an agreement in 2011 declaring schools as zone of peace, the UN has asked the government and all political parties to investigate the incident, which took place yesterday, and identify the culprits.
"We condemn the act in the strongest term and look to the authorities to investigate and identify the culprit," it said.
The National Human Rights Commission of Nepal has also issued a separate statement strongly condemning the incident and asked the authorities to bring to justice the culprits involved in the incident.
Three buses carrying 150 students of class XI and XII were enroute Dharan yesterday, when the radical Maoist student activists stopped and attacked them near Charkose Jungle area at Seuti Khola river.
PTI
