In Kennepally village of Telangana’s Mancherial district, a mob dressed in saffron-coloured attire stormed into St. Mother Teresa English Medium School. They vandalized the Catholic school and attacked a priest while chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
On April 16, The Hindutva mob accused the school management of hurting religious sentiments by questioning and refusing students to wear religious dress instead of uniform.
The mob pelted stones at the statue of St. Mother Teresa installed at the school’s main gate and destroyed the security office.
Then, they marched inside the campus and broke window glasses, flower pots and the office room and tried to assault the father Jaimon Joseph of the school manager.
According to Father Joseph, the incident unfolded after the school principal, Father Joby, noticed some students attending class in religious attire instead of their uniforms on April 15. Father Joby, who is also from the congregation, called the students to his office to inquire. Upon learning that it was part of a 21-day special religious ritual, he requested them to bring their parents for further discussion.
However, instead of bringing their parents as requested, one student posted a video online, alleging that the principal had denied permission for students to wear religious attire.
This video led to around 100 individuals storming the school campus initially. Later, the numbers swelled to nearly 1,000 people who proceeded to vandalize the school, Father Joseph recounted.
“They slapped my face and punched my stomach. someone even hit me from behind,” said Father Joseph.
Paramilitary personnel have been deployed in a catholic school after right-wing Hindu activists vandalized and assaulted the Catholics.
