Sagga (Karnal), February 14
Parents of seven Karnal-based students heaved a sigh of relief after their wards who went “missing” from Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya (JNV), Rangajan near Tinsukia, Assam, landed here safely this evening.
But the incident raises serious questions over the functioning of the premier Central school as the Deputy Commissioner who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the JNV, Sagga, was kept in the dark by the school management.
These students of Class IX had reportedly fled from the hostel without informing anybody at the school.
A family friend of one of the students spotted all the teenaged students at Panipat this evening and informed their parents at Karnal. The local police had taken them in custody to complete the legal formalities.
The Principal of JNV, Mr Rangajan, lodged an FIR at Dumduma police station, Assam, on February 11 that seven students of Class IX - Amritpal Singh, Amandeep, Rajesh Kumar, Karampal Singh, Sonu, Ratinder Kumar and Bhirbhan — had left the school without informing anyone.
Students of JNV, Sagga village, about 25 km from here, had gone to the JNV Assam school under a routine cultural exchange programme for one academic session.
The DC, Mr B. S. Malik, said he had not been informed about the incident by the local school management. He read about the incident this morning in a local newspaper.
After meeting their wards, the parents informed The Tribune over telephone that all students were crying and visibly shocked. Jagjit, a parent, said the boys were repeatedly saying that they had reached here after saving their lives.
Several parents who gathered at the school here this evening rued over the
functioning of the Central school.
Mr Joginder Singh, father of Amandeep, said the JNV Sagga school Principal, Ms Amar Kaur Sangwan, did not bother to inform the families whose wards went missing. He got a call from Rangajan school but the local school administration tried to conceal the information.
Echoing him, other parents demanded action against the erring officials who did not pass on the information to the parents.
The Principal could not be contacted as she was reportedly camping in New Delhi in regard to the incident.
Confusion prevailed in the area after a leading news channel flashed incorrect information about students being drowned near Siliguri, a charge dismissed by officials at the Dumduma police station, Assam.
Meanwhile, Dr P.S. Salaria, head of the JNV schools in Haryana, New Delhi and Rajasthan, said the students were probably homesick and pooled money to reach here. He said two of the students had reportedly received Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,500, respectively, through a money order while the rest contributed Rs 50 to reach Karnal.
