Canning, West Bengal:
Members of the managing committee of a high school and its teacher-in-charge were severely beaten up today, after the body of a 14-year-old student was found hanging in the school premises at Jharkhali in the Sundarbans area of South 24 Parganas district, 54 kms from Kolkata.
The body of Satyajit Mondol, a class eight student from Thumkati in Canning, was found on the roof of Herobhanga Vidyasagar Vidyamandir this morning, District Superintendent of Police Pravin Tripathy said.
The student had reportedly protested against substandard food given as mid-day meal by the school a few days ago, which enraged the school authorities.
As the news of his death spread, villagers attacked the school and severely beat up the teacher-in-charge Chittaranjan Sardar and the managing committee members of the school. A special team of police and a contingent of Rapid Action Force (RAF) rushed to the spot.
Angry villagers initially refused to allow the police to touch the body, but later agreed to hand it over after assurances, Mr Tripathy said. But, trouble erupted again as the villagers attacked and damaged five houses belonging to members of the school managing committee after the police took away the body.
Later, six members of the school managing committee were arrested and the teacher-in-charge was hospitalised.
RAF and police were deployed as tension ran high in the area, Mr Tripathy said, adding the reason for the boy's death was being investigated.