Bengal: Primary school reopens in riot-hit Dhulian, students happy to meet friends

NEW DELHI: Ghanashyampur Primary School at Dhulian in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district reopened on Wednesday after a six-day closure due to violence in the area. The school had been shut since Friday noon after violence erupted on April 11 during a protest against the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Parliament. Several houses and properties were ransacked and set ablaze by a mob, leading to fear and disruption in the locality.

As her school reopened, a beaming Tania Khatun, a class 3 student, shared her excitement about returning to her classes. "I’m feeling so happy to meet my friends after all these days. Looking forward to the classes tomorrow," she told PTI Videos. Rasul Sheikh, a class 2 student, was equally excited.

"I am happy to meet the teachers again. I could show them the homework I did in all these days," he said. School teacher Akhtar-ul-Sheikh said while panic had initially gripped the area, the situation was gradually returning to normal. "Children are coming to school now. Some guardians are still not sending their wards due to fear, but things will improve, and attendance will increase every day," he said.

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Another teacher added, "We conveyed to the guardians that the situation is now normal and it’s safe for children to attend classes." Despite lower attendance on the first day of reopening, teachers remained optimistic. "It is true that some guardians are still hesitant, but we are confident that today’s classes will help dispel fears. Both the children and guardians who came today will encourage others. By Monday, we expect full attendance," said a faculty member. He also mentioned that while some class tests were held as scheduled on Wednesday, others would be conducted in the coming days.