Offline classes resumed on Friday for Class 10 and 12 students at the Seventh Day Adventist school in the Khokhra area of Ahmedabad nearly six weeks after a student was allegedly stabbed to death by a batchmate. The reopening came under strict security arrangements and amid low student attendance.
It may be noted that the gruesome episode in Khokhra wasn’t an isolated incident that shamed Gujarat. In August, a Class 8 student allegedly stabbed and injured his classmate over a dispute outside a government-run school in Gujarat’s Mahisagar district.
The incident reportedly took place after school hours near the gate of a primary school in Balasinor town. The victim was attacked with a sharp object.
Last month, four senior students in a hostel allegedly beat a Class‑12 student, following a fight that began during a kabaddi match. The assault was captured on video, which later prompted parents to file a police complaint under the Juvenile Justice Act.
Back to the Khokhra episode, the school had been shut down on the orders of the District Education Officer (DEO) following the August 20 incident, in which a Class 10 student succumbed to injuries after being allegedly attacked by another student. The incident triggered mob violence on the campus, leading to the suspension of offline classes for over 10,000 students.
According to the latest report, the DEO permitted the resumption of physical classes for only Class 10 and 12 students, in line with a Gujarat High Court directive issued by the end of September. According to officials, offline teaching for other grades will be considered after a week, based on a report by two observers appointed to monitor the school.
On the first day of reopening, attendance remained low — only about 20% of students were present. Officials attributed this not only to the lingering psychological impact of the incident but also to the proximity of the weekend and recently concluded Navratri festivities.
As students entered through metal detectors and tight security checks, many parents gathered outside the school to pick up their children. Police personnel and private security guards were stationed across the premises. Only two gates were opened for entry and exit, while the gate through which the deceased student had reportedly stumbled in after the assault remained locked.
A large banner welcoming students back was displayed at the entrance, and teachers were seen offering chocolates to students. At the morning assembly, students paid tribute to the deceased classmate by placing flowers before his portrait. School authorities also conducted a moment of silence followed by a multi-religious prayer.
Parents expressed mixed reactions to the reopening. While many said they were relieved their children could resume in-person classes ahead of the board exams, others remained anxious. Some said they considered the stabbing an isolated incident and did not want the academic futures of thousands of students affected by it.
The DEO had earlier stated that around 10,800 students are enrolled in the school. However, approximately 500 students have collected School Leaving Certificates (SLCs) since the incident.
Officials confirmed that the school has installed 60 new CCTV cameras, added 35 security personnel, and set up a dispensary staffed with a nurse. An ambulance is also stationed on standby. The school has been asked to counsel students, and train staff in first aid and fire safety. A partition has been created between the school and the college housed on the same campus.
The DEO said that the school was allowed to reopen only after submitting an undertaking accepting full responsibility for student safety. He added that confidence-building measures would continue as authorities monitor the situation closely.
The stabbing case has led to three FIRs: one against the juvenile accused of murder, another against the mob that vandalised school property and attacked staff, and a third against the school principal for allegedly failing to report the incident to authorities in time.
An investigation reportedly conducted by the education department is ongoing. Officials said the school has failed to submit documents requested after two notices and warned that further action would be taken if there is no compliance following the third notice.
Faculty members at the school reportedly feel the institution is being unfairly targeted by the authorities for an incident they described as “unfortunate but isolated.”
Relief And Anxiety: Offline Classes Resume In Ahmedabad Weeks After Student Stabbing Incident
Offline classes resumed on Friday for Class 10 and 12 students at a private school in the Khokhra area, nearly six weeks after a student was allegedly stabbed to death by a batchmate. The reopening came under strict security arrangements and amid low student attendance.
It may be noted that the gruesome episode in Khokhra wasn’t an isolated incident that shamed Gujarat. In August, a Class 8 student allegedly stabbed and injured his classmate over a dispute outside a government-run school in Gujarat’s Mahisagar district.
The incident reportedly took place after school hours near the gate of a primary school in Balasinor town. The victim was attacked with a sharp object.
Last month, four senior students in a hostel allegedly beat a Class‑12 student, following a fight that began during a kabaddi match. The assault was captured on video, which later prompted parents to file a police complaint under the Juvenile Justice Act.
Back to the Khokhra episode, the school had been shut down on the orders of the District Education Officer (DEO) following the August 20 incident, in which a Class 10 student succumbed to injuries after being allegedly attacked by another student. The incident triggered mob violence on the campus, leading to the suspension of offline classes for over 10,000 students.
According to the latest report, the DEO permitted the resumption of physical classes for only Class 10 and 12 students, in line with a Gujarat High Court directive issued by the end of September. According to officials, offline teaching for other grades will be considered after a week, based on a report by two observers appointed to monitor the school.
On the first day of reopening, attendance remained low — only about 20% of students were present. Officials attributed this not only to the lingering psychological impact of the incident but also to the proximity of the weekend and recently concluded Navratri festivities.
As students entered through metal detectors and tight security checks, many parents gathered outside the school to pick up their children. Police personnel and private security guards were stationed across the premises. Only two gates were opened for entry and exit, while the gate through which the deceased student had reportedly stumbled in after the assault remained locked.
A large banner welcoming students back was displayed at the entrance, and teachers were seen offering chocolates to students. At the morning assembly, students paid tribute to the deceased classmate by placing flowers before his portrait. School authorities also conducted a moment of silence followed by a multi-religious prayer.
Parents expressed mixed reactions to the reopening. While many said they were relieved their children could resume in-person classes ahead of the board exams, others remained anxious. Some said they considered the stabbing an isolated incident and did not want the academic futures of thousands of students affected by it.
The DEO had earlier stated that around 10,800 students are enrolled in the school. However, approximately 500 students have collected School Leaving Certificates (SLCs) since the incident.
Officials confirmed that the school has installed 60 new CCTV cameras, added 35 security personnel, and set up a dispensary staffed with a nurse. An ambulance is also stationed on standby. The school has been asked to counsel students, and train staff in first aid and fire safety. A partition has been created between the school and the college housed on the same campus.
The DEO said that the school was allowed to reopen only after submitting an undertaking accepting full responsibility for student safety. He added that confidence-building measures would continue as authorities monitor the situation closely.
The stabbing case has led to three FIRs: one against the juvenile accused of murder, another against the mob that vandalised school property and attacked staff, and a third against the school principal for allegedly failing to report the incident to authorities in time.
An investigation reportedly conducted by the education department is ongoing. Officials said the school has failed to submit documents requested after two notices and warned that further action would be taken if there is no compliance following the third notice.
Faculty members at the school reportedly feel the institution is being unfairly targeted by the authorities for an incident they described as “unfortunate but isolated.”
Also Read: Gujarat: Brawls Not New At Seventh Day School, Past Episodes Of Violence Surface During Investigation https://www.vibesofindia.com/gujarat-brawls-not-new-at-seventh-day-school-past-episodes-of-violence-surface-during-investigation/
