NCPCR asks WB chief secy to conduct probe into clash in North Dinajpur district

Taking suo motu cognisance of the clash in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district in which two students died, apex child rights body NCPCR on Tuesday asked the state's chief secretary to conduct a probe into the matter.

Yashwant Jain, a member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), expressed "serious concern" over the matter and asked if violence was necessary and sanctioned by relevant authorities.

A mob clashed with police over entry of newly appointed Urdu teachers in Daribhita School in North Dinajpur's Islampur as the protesting students said they needed science and english teachers.

The locals have alleged that the two, who were former students of the school, were killed in police firing but the superintendent of police of North Dinajpur, Sumit Kumar, had said the police did not open fire. The SP had, however, admitted that the students had received bullet injuries and had said the police were investigating who had opened fire.

"There were alternative ways to handle the situation peacefully. The clashes would have left a deep mark on young children's minds. It is clearly negligence on part of the authority," Jain said, adding a special NCPCR team would be sent to probe the matter, if necessary.

"We have written to the chief secretary of West Bengal (Malay Kumar De), asking him to direct the officials concerned to conduct an inquiry and send a factual inquiry report of the matter to the commission within 15 days along with details of the deceased," Jain said.