Nagpur: A Catholic school at Ganj Basoda tehsil of Vidisha district in Madhya Pradesh was vandalised by the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists and accused the school authorities of religious conversion.
According to the police, four people have been detained in connection with the incident and investigation to find other accused is underway. Around 300 people gathered at 12pm outside the St Joseph High school to protest against the alleged religion conservation. When the mob started vandalising the school, the class 12 students were writing their mathematics examination.
The school principal, Brother Anthony Tynumkal said that the mob was armed with iron rods and stones and even chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while damaging the property. The principal also claimed that they had requested the police for protection and the police assured them that the mob would just chant slogans. “They (police) only came in after the goons left the premises after vandalizing everything,” Tynumkal added. Brother Antony also denied any allegation of religious conversion taking place in the school premises.
However, the sub-divisional officer Bharat Bhushan denied the allegations. “It was meant to be a peaceful protest. A few miscreants used the opportunity and hurled stones at the glass cover on the school building and damaged it.” He added that the school authorities were given protection and the police has taken four people into custody related to the incident.
Leader of local Bajrang Dal Unit, Nilesh Agrawal demanded a thorough probe into the religious conversion allegation. Security arrangements were made at other missionary schools in the district after the incident.
