On January 2, just 30 minutes before dismissal time, a mob of about 50 individuals broke through the gates of the Sacred Heart Church, which is located on the grounds of Viswadeepti School in Banglapara, Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, and attacked it.
The teachers begged the demonstrators to spare the school and the youngsters’ bicycles as they went amok.
“The teachers hastily told the kids to assemble at a field behind the school when the rioters barged in. Some of the kids began to sob. A senior member of the school administration commented, “I appreciate how the instructors handled such a challenging circumstance.
Around 15 minutes later, the rioters dispersed, but not before shattering a window in the nursery wing of the school, vandalising the new church structure, and the staff housing in the compound.
The school was closed as a precaution for four days after the attack. Around 60% of the students returned to school on Saturday when it reopened, according to school sources. Due to the weekend, some of our students choose not to attend today. In addition, the absence of the drivers prevented the operation of two of our buses. However, most students arrived in cycles. The senior member of staff at the school commented, “It’s difficult to keep them out of school. One of the best schools in the Narayanpur district and one of the most sought-after institutions in the area is the Viswadeepti School, one of the forty or so schools in Chhattisgarh run by the Catholic Diocese.
“In the previous academic session, one of our kids, Shailee Yadav, placed sixth among the top 10 SSC rank holders in Chhattisgarh with 97.50%,” said Maneesh Anthony, the educational secretary for the Catholic Diocese of Jagdalpur. Nine of the top 10 students in Narayanpur district last year came from our institution. Cricket, football, and athletics are among the extracurricular activities and sports that our students find particularly interesting.
In addition to the principal, Father Devasia Jomon, the school, which opened in 2005–2006, has 29 teachers, 6 guest lecturers, and 1,010 pupils from kindergarten through class 10.
Children attend the school from different kinds of groups, with 40% of them being tribal.
The kids from this academy have won 280 or so medals in tournaments across Chhattisgarh, according to Balram Puri, the head coach at the taekwondo academy that operates on the school’s grounds. Chandrakanta Kashyap, a student at this institution, took home a silver medal at the National Matsogi-Do Championship held in Goa in December of last year.
Chandrakanta, 15, says of his decision to learn Matsogi-Do, “I’ve always been interested in martial arts. I received a lot of help from Puri Sir and the school. After two years of practise, I received a silver medal. I’m now putting in a lot of effort to win the gold. One day, I want to instruct people in martial arts and work as a chef.
Businessman Dinesh Jain, who also serves as the association’s president, stated, “Both of my children attend this school. I hope my son will be the best student in the school and district because he received over 90% in Class 9. The principal, instructors, and staff make a special effort to ensure that pupils are developing holistically.
Jain described the January 2 attack as “an regrettable incident. Our kids have never experienced any pressure or religious influence from the school. It’s one of the top institutions in the area.
We have never converted anyone, a high-ranking school administrator claimed. Only educating people is our responsibility. This school has produced a huge number of graduates. Have they undergone conversion? Some people visit churches to offer prayers or to find comfort. Are they now considered converted, then?
