VITTAL: An attempt to reopen the unauthorized Shastriji High School at Punacha on Monday, despite the school closed down by the education department authorities some time back, following court orders, created some tense moments in the locality. If education department officials on gathering hint of the reopening of the school, arrived at the school and forced it to close down, some of the parents of the students admitted to the school, shouted slogans against the department officials requesting not to close down the school.
Teacher Harsha Shastri had formed the Shastriji high School at Punacha-Periyaltadka three years ago, merely to pursue his personal interests. A namesake management board with Shastri’s wife Ushalakshmi as its Chairperson had also been created and the school was operating from the Punacha Periyaltadka Aided School building itself. Harsha Shastri was also the self-proclaimed in-charge principal of the unauthorized school.
Meanwhile, the management of the Sri Devi High School functioning from the same area since the past 27 years had moved the court against Shastriji High School. Even a teacher B Ramakrishna Bhat had waged a legal battle against Harsha Shastri for continuing as Headmaster by neglecting seniority rules.
The court which took up the case, concluded that the High School was unauthorized and seized all its documents, removed the name board and locked the school building.
Not only that, the management board was dissolved and Jayashekhar was appointed as the Special Administrative officer by the department.
But least bothering about the court orders, Harsha Shastri had his men reopened the unauthorized high school at the same building on Monday claiming that they had moved a Higher Court against the earlier ruling. It is learnt, the school had even admitted students to eighth standard.
Gathering information, education officials led by DDPI Chamegowda arrived at he spot and directed Harsha Shastri to close down the school. However, the management which had made parents of some students gather, saw to it that they protested against the education department.
The education department officials later left the scene saying they would submit a report to the higher authorities and act as per their orders and that the education department had until now not received any information regarding the school management moving a higher court.
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