Two students disappear from hostel

Phidim, September 13

Two students of Mechi Boarding School have disappeared from the school’s hostel in district headquarters Phidim, Panchthar, since September 10.

The students have been identified as Jagadish Rai’s 15-year-old son Prithvi Rai, and Deuman Rai’s 14-year-old son Basanta Rai. Prithvi is a ninth grader whereas Basanta is a sixth grader.

Prithvi joined the school at the Nursery level, while Basanta was admitted in grade five.

A police team had taken the boys to the police office in Panchthar on the charge of mobile theft on September 9.

According to Vice-principal Kul Raj Neyonghang, he had taken the boys back from the police office at around 10:00 pm in the presence of another student Debit Shrestha.

“Thinking that it would defame the school if students were detained at the police station, we took them back the same night and dined together. But they didn’t return after they went to the kitchen to drink water,” said Neyonghang.

According to him, the students were released on the condition that they would have to report to the police office the next morning with the mobile sets they had stolen.

Principal Sita Seling said that besides counselling, she had also caned them for stealing the mobile set. Of the duo, Prithvi had numerous records of indecent activities. They had warned him, in the presence of his parents, to mend his ways several times.

However, Prithvi’s father Jagadish argued that the school had never reported to him about his son’s immoral activities. “I came to know about my son’s detention from the police personnel and I requested them to release him over phone.

As he used to stay in the school hostel from the time he was four years old, the school must be responsible for his immoral activities,” he argued. He also charged that the school was not serious about searching his son.

According to DSP Nakul Pokhrel at the DPO, as they were found to have been involved in the mobile theft case as per the complaints lodged by locals.