The Statesman

TExaminees bear the brunt of Red rage

Joydeep Thakur
NANDIGRAM, March. 18: Several higher secondary candidates and examinees appearing for the class XI exams have fled their homes due to fear and disturbance in the area and some are feared dead and missing as they failed to turn up on the first day of the class XI examination yesterday.
Mr Srihari Mondal, the father of an HS examinee Santanu Mondal said that his son is staying away from home since 1 March . The Mondal family stays in Gangra under Sonachura gram panchayat where CPI-M goons backed by police had allegedly looted houses and killed villagers on Wednesday.
Mr Mondal declined to reveal where is son is currently staying but said that he is a student of Gokulnagar Gobinda Jeu High School and will appear in the HS examination on Monday at Nandigram Boys High School. He also said: “My son was unable to study due to the disturbance and had to leave the place to prepare for exams in peace for the last few days and during the examinations.
Moumita Pradhan, a student of Gokulnagar Girls’ High School and a resident of Balupota under Sonachura Gram panchayat has also been sent away from home to an undisclosed relative’s house. Her father, Mr Debasish Pradhan said: “Girls and women had been dragged out of houses on 14 March and were either raped or killed. They are still missing. I am happy my daughter is not here.” Mr Sisir Adhikari, Trinamul Congress MLA from Egra said: “At least 500 people are still missing from Sonachura, Sat Jalpai, Gokulnagar and Maheshpur and many are feared killed in the violence. The list, which is yet to be prepared may include HS candidates, class XI examinees and school students.” In Gokulnagar, at least seven girls had put up in a local club for studying after they were rendered homeless. One of them has lost her brother in the violence. The club is being guarded by locals in apprehension of further violence.
There are at least eight schools in Nandigram and two of them ~ Nandigram Boys’ High School and BMT Girls’ High School are HS examination centres. Around 450 students are expected to appear for the HS examination from these two centres.
Meanwhile, several students failed to turn up on the first day of their class XI exam yesterday. At least 41 students among the 217 candidates of class XI failed to turn up in a school in Ashadtala. The students of the schools in the conflict zones were asked by the school authorities that they will be handed over their admit cards if they fail to collect it from their respective schools.
he Statesman