Phidim, September 28

The case of a school management committee chairperson thrashing students black and blue has been settled following mounting pressure from local leaders and the school administration at Bharapa, Panchthar few days ago.

According to sources, Chairman Narendra Lowa of Manedanda Lower Secondary School thrashed as many as seven students namely Roshan Gadaili, Birendra Tamang, Dawa Tsering, Tamang, Birendra Rasaili, Man Kumar Tamang, Manish Yonghang and Devendra Tamang black and blue on September 22.

Roshan was critically injured. His parents compromised after the school administration agreed to pay his treatment bill and provide compensation.

The victim was admitted at Pathibhara Health Care Hospital in Phidim.

“The chairman agreed to pay the treatment expenses and urged settlement of the problem through mutual understanding instead of reporting to the police. Hence, we decided to compromise and returned home,” said Roshan’s father Hari Bahadur.

Anendra Yaba, head teacher of the school, said the students were suffering from mass shivering problem after the April 25 earthquake.

On September 22, they had started to shiver, they climbed the pillars and refused to climb down. Yaba had called the SMC chair to look at the boys’ odd behaviours.

Instead of sorting out the problem, Lowa thrashed the students and the situation got aggravated, said Yaba. The hospital had requested a CT Scan saying that Roshan might have injured his head. However, the parents refused to take the test and took him back home.

District Child Welfare Committee Panchthar child rights Officer Saraswoti Shiwakoti suggested that the children be taken to a psychiatrist for treatment. “The kids might have suffered from mass hysteria and its best remedy is counselling. Beating up students instead of trying to understand their situation is a serious violation of child rights,” she said.

Leaders of local political parties had forced the victim’s parents to settle the problem without going to police. Activist Shiwakoti accused the police of not forwarding the case though an FIR was lodged.

Panchthar DSP Krishna Prasad Koirala said the victim’s kin said they would settle the case through discussion.

Roshan’s family said though Lowa had agreed to provide them treatment expenses and compensation, they had not been provided any compensation so far.