ARTICLE BY Times Of India !!

MNS activists attack principal, teachers over 'bus safety'

MUMBAI: The condition of school buses across the state has been a cause for concern for a while, but the issue acquired an entirely different twist on Wednesday as a group of political activists attacked a school principal and teachers, ostensibly to ensure the school follows the norms.

Members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena barged into the office of the principal of DAV School, Nerul, blackened his face and roughed up other staff members on Wednesday morning. "We wanted to check if schools were following the school bus safety norms. We had sent notices to all schools in Navi Mumbai two weeks ago," said Santosh Gavas, vice-president of MNVS. He added that MNVS had also sent a letter to RTO officials a month ago demanding immediate implementation of the school bus safety rules.

The MNVS activists arrived at the school along with the print and electronic media and confronted the school principal, Jose Kurien, on the state of buses used by the school. "We found that their school buses weren't equipped with first-aid boxes or fire extinguishers. This is violation of law," added Gavas. However, those present in the principal's cabin on Wednesday afternoon told TOI that the MNVS activists attacked the school principal first, following which many school teachers tried to stop the activists. "They roughed up female teachers too. How can such hooligans be allowed to enter schools?" said a teacher.