Ukhrul: Students and staff from 21 educational institutions in Ukhrul Headquarters, along with the staff of the Zonal Education Office (ZEO) Ukhrul, held a sit-in protest on Thursday at the ZEO premises. The protest condemned the planting of a bomb at the ZEO office on November 6, 2024, by unknown miscreants.
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“On behalf of all institutions, schools, and colleges in Ukhrul, we stand with the ZEO and staff to condemn yesterday’s heinous, cowardly act of planting a bomb. Education is the backbone, the brain, the heart that advances our society. We appeal for peace within the education sector and urge authorities to take necessary action to apprehend the culprits. We also request the installation of CCTV at the Zonal Education Office and in schools,” stated A.S. Josiah, Principal of Ukhrul Higher Secondary School. “We appeal to society to ensure safety for educational offices, so our children feel safe attending school and moving forward. We hope that such acts will not be repeated,” he added.
Lummila Wungkhai, a BA 2nd Year (Political Science) student at Pettigrew College, voiced a similar sentiment, stating, “We join the protest to condemn the bomb threat at the ZEO’s office. This office is the heart of education in our district, and a threat to it is a threat to our future. We call upon all right-minded individuals to stand with us against such actions.”
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Shining Rinchui, a Class XII student from Little Angels English School, added, “On behalf of my school, we are here to call on everyone to safeguard our educational offices and institutions.”
Sopei Vashum, a BA 2nd Year (English) student from St. Joseph College, expressed fear and disbelief, saying, “I’m really shocked and scared that something like this happened in an education office. Planting bombs and terrorizing the education system is equivalent to stalling our community’s growth. As a student, I strongly denounce such acts.”
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The Association of Recognised Schools Ukhrul District (ARSUD) also condemned the “dastardly act” of planting a bomb at the ZEO office premises, calling it an attack on education. In a statement, ARSUD urged that educational institutions be made safe zones. “Despite societal issues, learning should not be disrupted. We call upon authorities to act to make educational institutions safe and free zones in our land,” the statement read.
It is worth noting that a similar incident occurred on December 13, 2022, when a bomb exploded on the ZEO Ukhrul campus. The sit-in protest also saw participation from the Tangkhul Higher Secondary Organization (THYSO) and Hunphun Katmanao Long (HKL).
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