Church unites against vandalism First priority: principal bail plea

Mita Mukherjee, TT, Calcutta, 15 September 2013: I am depressed. I am depressed. If parents don’t have discipline, what can you expect of the children? said Governor M.K. Narayanan responding to a question on the vandalism at Christ Church Girls’ High School 
The entire Christian Church has united to protest against the vandalism at Christ Church Girls’ High School and explore ways to prevent a recurrence elsewhere. 
The Church of North India (CNI) today said its first priority was to obtain bail for the arrested principal, Helen Sircar. At the CNI office in Bishop House, Chowringhee Road, multiple meetings were held during the day with members of its own diocese, board members of the Dum Dum school and representatives of the other churches that run schools across Bengal. 
The CNI set up three committees — an inquiry panel of six members to probe the death of 10-year-old Oindrilla Das, a monitoring committee to establish the extent of the damage caused during Thursday’s vandalism and suggest restoration measures as early as possible, and a legal advisory committee to look into the options available to secure bail for the principal. 
“Our first priority is to obtain the principal’s bail,” said Reverend Abir Adhikari, the honorary secretary of the CNI Calcutta diocese. Rev. Adhikari said the Church was extremely distressed by the death of Oindrilla Das. 

ARRESTED

Three persons (below) have been arrested for the vandalism at the school. Pictures by Anup Bhattacharya

Biswajit Chakraborty, whose daughter is in Class V. Biswajit had told The Telegraph on Thursday “the principal was like Hitler”

Dhiren Rajbangshi, whose daughter is in Class VI

Golam Mohammad Ali, who runs a meat shop near the school. Golam allegedly went to see what was happening and joined in the attack

The CNI will convene a condolence meeting to pray for the departed soul. The events that led to the arrest of the principal were discussed in detail today. The representatives of various church bodies decided to go ahead with a protest on September 19 when all Christian missionary schools will be closed. 
“The entire Christian Church — Catholics, the CNI, Methodists, Baptists and others — is firmly united on this issue. Our schools and our staff have to be protected from violent acts,” said Rev. Moloy D’Costa, secretary, the Association of Christian Schools.

The association has convened a media conference on Monday on the vandalism. It will be addressed by His Grace Most Rev. Thomas D’Souza, the Archbishop of Calcutta. Rev. Paritosh Canning, vice-president, CNI Calcutta Diocese, Dora Mondol, the secretary of Christ Church School, and Rev. D’Costa will also address the conference.

Shane Calvert, the MLA representing the Anglo-Indian community, said: “I express my solidarity with the school which was vandalised. Such incidents, if allowed, will undermine the whole purpose and objective of the existence of such schools and will demoralise those in education. No one can take the law into their own hands.”

The representatives also discussed ways to prevent a recurrence of the vandalism. The CNI Calcutta diocese runs about 40 schools and colleges in and around Calcutta.

Rev. Adhikari iterated that the CNI would not accept Sircar’s resignation until the monitoring committee and the inquiry team had submitted their reports.

“Let the truth come out first. It is clear from media reports and television footage that Sircar was forced to resign. We will decide about our action only after we examine the findings of our inquiry panels,” said Rev. Adhikari.

Sircar had submitted her resignation to police, not the church officials who had recruited her. But a copy of her resignation letter has reached the Church.

Rev. Adhikari said the CNI had nominated “renowned and efficient” educators and administrators to the inquiry teams. The names would not be disclosed. “We want the inquiry to be unbiased,” said Rev. Adhikari.

The Church will be in a position to fix the tentative date for reopening the school after receiving the report of the monitoring committee.

The probe committee is expected to start the investigations tomorrow and submit the report by the end of next week. “Every step will be taken to ensure that the school is fit to start functioning as early as possible,” Rev. Adhikari added.

About 200 students and guardians gathered outside the school gate this morning demanding that the principal be reinstated.

In the evening, nearly 500 former and current students and their guardians organised a rally demanding the return of Sircar and punishment for those responsible for Oindrilla’s death.

MOTHER’S CALL

Helen Sircar, the arrested principal, had a request when police officers met her on Saturday morning at Barrackpore police station: she wanted to speak to her 11-year-old-daughter.

At the OC’s chamber, an officer dialled the number of Sircar’s sister-in-law and handed the phone to the principal for the first words with her daughter in 48 hours.

“Tumi kemon achho, mamon? Khachchho to thik kore (How are you, dear? Are you having your meals regularly)?” an officer quoted Sircar as asking over the phone.

The officer then quoted Sircar as saying:“I am stuck with important business relating to the school. Don’t worry about me. I shall be back very soon.

Study hard and don’t pester your uncle and aunt. Be a good girl.”              Tamaghna Banerjee

THE CHARGES

The IPC sections under which the three arrested have been charged and the maximum punishment each carries

379 (theft): Three years’ jail

353 (use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty): Two years’ jail

354 (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty):One year’s jail

325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt): Seven years’ jail

427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs 50 or upwards): Two years’ jail

342 (wrongfully confining a person): One year’s jail

337 (causing hurt by an act endangering human life): Six months’ jail

447 (criminal trespass): Three months’ jail

143 (unlawful assembly): Six months’ jail