Mob vandalises Telangana school after principal questions students wearing religious attire

A school in Telangana was attacked by a mob after the principal allegedly questioned some students wearing saffron-coloured religious attire on the campus.

Indian Express, quoting police, reported that the students were observing ‘Hanuman deeksha’, a penance for 41 days.

The incident took place on April 16 at St Mother Teresa English Medium School in Kannepalli village.

A video of the incident that is going viral on social media showed saffron-clad men shouting Jai Shri slogans and vandalising the school properties.

Meanwhile, police filed two FIRs in the incident. Based on students' parent's complaints, the police filed a case against two school staff members, including the principal, for hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion.

In the other complaint by the school administration, four suspects and others were named for trespassing into the school, wrongfully restraining the school correspondent, physically assaulting him, and damaging windows of the classrooms. They said a statue of Mother Teresa and gates were damaged and claimed a loss of property worth Rs 30,000.

“The exams were going on. After the exam, the principal told the students to come in uniform and that if they wanted to wear saffron clothes, they had to get permission. That triggered the parents. Previously also there were some complaints against the principal and it was there in the parents’ mind. It was a Tuesday and there was a temple nearby and all this escalated and led to vandalism,” Mancherial Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ashok Kumar told Indian Express.

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