RAMANATHAPURAM
Tension broke out in Pamban in Rameswaram island when a large number of Christians took out a procession and staged a demonstration, demanding the arrest of Hindu Munnani and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) leaders for trespassing into St. Anne’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School and allegedly abusing the Headmistress (HM).
About 1,000 people, including members of St. Antony’s Church, staged the protest demanding the arrest of Hindu Munnani district president Ramamurthy and BMS leader Bharathi Raja and others for trespassing into the school on Monday and abusing the HM after she pulled up and sent home some students for not wearing shoes as part of the school uniform.
Police said after the HM, a nun, had sent home about 50 students, all but two returned wearing shoes, while two boys came with the BMS leader, who questioned the school authorities for insisting on the boys wearing shoes when they were observing rituals for undertaking pilgrimage to Palani.
He then left and returned with Mr. Ramamurthy and his supporters, who carried organisation flags and staged a protest shouting slogans inside the school. Acting on a complaint lodged by the HM, Pamban police registered a first information report against the ‘offenders’ under Sections 147 (rioting), 294 (b) (reciting obscene words), 447 (criminal trespass) and 153 (acts prejudicial to maintenance of religious harmony) of the IPC, the police said.
On a counter complaint, the police registered an FIR against the HM under Sections 323 (causing hurt) and 505 (ii) (public mischief) of the IPC and 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. It was against this backdrop, the Christians, led by the Parish priest, hit the road, the police said. They dispersed after the police said they would complete the enquiry in a day and take necessary action. They threatened to stage a protest again if no arrest was made by Wednesday.
Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena said the police were checking the CCTV footages and would take necessary action after completing the enquiry. Local people said the whole issue would have been settled amicably had the parents of the boys went to school instead of sending the BMS leader. It was also unnecessary on the part of Hindu Munnani volunteers to trespass into the school with flags, they said.
