Vandalised school to reopen today

After remaining closed for a fortnight, Christ Church Girls’ High School is being reopened on Friday. The decision was taken in a meeting between the governing body and the managing committee of the school. Bishop of Kolkata Ashoke Biswas, who was abroad when the 131-year-old school was vandalised by an enraged mob on September 12, also attended the crucial meeting. Principal Helen Sircar, who was hounded and humiliated by the mob and arrested by the police on the fateful day, could not attend the meeting because she is on leave. Although the repair and restoration work in the badly ransacked and damaged school has not been completed, the authorities decided to reopen it considering the loss of the students. “The Christ Church School reopened today and regular classes will be held from tomorrow. The repair and restoration work will continue to take place, as we have not been able to put up the infrastructure fully. Restoration will go on in full swing during the weekends when the school is shut. The work will continue even on working days after the classes get over,” honorary secretary of Diocese of Calcutta Rev. Abir Adhikari said. The restoration process in the school began on September 24. The classrooms, furniture and documents were brutally destroyed by irate parents following the death of a Class V girl Oindrila Das. She died of trauma and humiliation a week after being allegedly ragged by three seniors. *** Youth held for attempt to rape teen AGE CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, SEPT. 26

A youth was arrested for allegedly trying to rape a 16-year-old Class 10 student after she resisted molestation. The incident took place in Ashok Vihar area of northwest Delhi on Wednesday evening. A police official said that the accused was arrested. The official said the victim studies in a nearby government school. On Wednesday night, she was returning home from tuition when the accused stopped her near her home. “The accused molested the victim and when she resisted he tried to rape her. She somehow escaped from his clutches and reached her home. The victim then narrated the incident to her family members who decided to approach the police,” said the official. The victim was admitted to a hospital. A source said that the accused had been stalking the victim for a long time but it was the first time when her family lodged an FIR.