Staff Reporter
DOIMUKH, 10 Mar: Thousands of people took out a candlelight march from the Monday market here to Rising Star International School in Emchi on Sunday evening, demanding justice for 12-year-old girl student Nabam Esther, who was found dead in the school’s premises on 1 March.
Relatives of the deceased have alleged that she was murdered by two other girl students of the same age, studying at the same school.
Members of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), the All Papum Pare District Students’ Union (APPDSU), the Nirjuli Baptist church, the Nabam Welfare Society (NWS), the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW), the Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society (APWWS), women SHGs of Doimukh, and schoolchildren took part in the march, shouting slogans, demanding justice for the deceased and ban on ragging.
A Class 8 student of Don Bosco School said, “Our final examination is going on and tomorrow (Monday) we have mathematics subject. However, we are still here to show our solidarity for late Esther, who was our friend and a sister.”
Some of the boy students said that they were surprised when they learned about the incident, adding that “the incident took place on 1 March but we got to know about it just two days back, since we are in a boarding school.”
APPDSU president Gollo Lento informed that the union, along with the AAPSU “will go for a joint sitting, constituting a standard operating procedure.” He suggested setting up an “anti-ragging committee,” saying that “this incident should be an eye-opener for all.”
The family members of the deceased and members of the NWS condemned the incident and requested the education department to put in place “strict laws,” adding that “such a young and promising life has gone and it can never be substituted.”
APWWS president Kani Nada Maling said that “the commission, along with the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR), will set up modalities for establishing a child counselling cell.”
“We want justice and a fair investigation into the case,” she said, and asked the education department to “take up the issue seriously.”
“The education department should ensure that all the guidelines set are put into action on the ground, not only on paper,” and added that “students should not remain silent on the issue of bullying and ragging.”
AAPSU women’s wing president Ponung Darang said that “parents should also keep proper track of their wards in terms of their wards’ wellbeing and everyday affairs.”
The father of the deceased demanded that a statue be erected on the school campus, “since the incident took place there,” and demanded justice for his late daughter.
“Very soon, we are going to meet the chief minister, and will place our memorandum,” he said.
It is learnt that the two minor girls who were allegedly involved in Esther’s death are lodged in the juvenile home in Pasighat (E/Siang), while the principal, the headmaster and the hostel warden of the school are in the Jollang jail.
The police informed that the case is still under investigation.
Members of the APSCPCR recently visited the school. It said that it will soon write to the government “for certain modalities that need to be included in schools, both government and private.”
