When the ransack at Christ Church School at Dum Dum in Kolkata took
place on Thursday the 12th of September, no one had imagined it go
out of control and things would pan out the way they did. Parents shouting
names, leveling allegations, breaking chairs, tables, fax machines and glass
panes of doors and windows, the Police just stood there helpless unable to
control the mob. We the media, stood on the side sometimes, amongst the mob
sometimes as we jostled to stay safe while capturing the situation to the best
of our ability. Today when I look back, I still can’t get over the angry that
spilled out onto the school premises. My cameraperson was injured as he tripped
over a pot, yet his first concern was seeing the camera was not damaged though
he was hurt and thankfully it wasen’t as someone caught the camera and helped
stable him.
These are the scenes that first come to mind when I think of
what happened that day. Outsiders mingling amongst the crowd deriving sadistic
pleasure as angry parents were ready to heckle Principal Helen Sircar and Police
tried to protect her in her chamber. She along with other teachers were ducking
under the table. The crowds still didn’t stop pouring inside the premises.
There was ransacking atleast 3 times that I remember. Rapid Action Force too
arrived at the spot later only to be outnumbered by the mob as they jeered.
Finally Principal Helen Sircar had to apologize to a crowd holding slippers and
pieces of a flower pot to hit her.
Then under more pressure from the mob, she had to resign twice
and be placed under arrest. Some students and parents rejoiced, some nodded at
the unfortunate turn of events involving the Principal. What purpose did the
incident serve when students are now kept away from attending school while the
premises is being cleared up before it is functional.
Why was the Police there that day when there was nothing
they could do? A Principal was almost lynched by a 200 plus strong angry mob
and they could do nothing about calming the mob ransacking the premises from
time to time. The Police was called in to protect the Principal and teachers
and what happened went against her.
Whether she handled the case of ragging of class 5 student
Oindrilla Das efficiently or not is still in question as Oinrilla lost her life
and reports of whether it was ragging or the wrong injection administered
poured in. But the situation caught everyone off guard, be it the Principal,
teachers, the Church
of North India that is
the governing body for the school, the media and the viewers. And what would we
say about the Police? That is best left unsaid.
