Private schools across Punjab to remain shut on April 11 to mark protest against MD’s arrest in rape case

Private educational institutes in Punjab will remain closed on April 11 to mark protest against the arrest of the managing director (MD) of a private school in Gurdaspur after a four-year-old girl student was allegedly raped on the premises last month.

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Gurdaspur: The private schools in Punjab will remain closed on Monday (April 11) to protest against the arrest of the managing director (MD) of a private school in the Gurdaspur district following the alleged rape of a four-year-old girl student. 

Following the call of Federation of Private Schools and Associations of Punjab, private educational institutes in the state will remain closed on April 11 to mark their protest against the arrest of the MD of a private school in Gurdaspur after a four-year-old student was allegedly raped on the premises last month.

The crime against the student has been condemned by all the organisations in Punjab but the arrest of the school administration is not justified and thus all the private institutes including schools, colleges and universities will remain closed on April 11. 

Addressing a press conference, Anil Chopra, President of CBSE Affiliated Schools Association (CASA), said that it is a matter of great shame for our society where even children are not safe from violence. "The recent rape of a 4-year-old girl in Gurdaspur is a heinous incident. The death penalty to the culprits will send the right message to society," the representatives of CASA and Confederation of Unaided Schools and Colleges of Punjab said. 

They said that the police should investigate the case of the alleged molestation of the 4-year-old student Gurdaspur, adding that the "innocent" administrator should also get justice.

Representatives and office-bearers of private educational institutions from different parts of Punjab including CASA and President of Confederation Jodhraj Gupta, Narottam Singh, General Secretary Dr. Anoop Bori, Joint Secretary Sanjeev Maria, Polytechnic President Rajesh Meyer participated in the press conference along with others. 

All the representatives claimed that the Gurdaspur SSP has not found any evidence against the MD and other administrators of the school and their arrest had been made under public pressure. This action cannot be justified in any way, they added asking the police to check the camera footage and other evidence so that the culprits can be caught. 

Vice President Gupta and other members alleged that the police had arrested the president of the school under pressure, but if the police did not release the school president immediately, then the main culprits will go scot-free.