Boko, Sept 22: The students of Boko Coaching Academy staged a protest on Sunday, demanding the arrest of the culprits responsible for setting the institute on fire on September 12.
Teachers joined the protest, standing in solidarity with the students, as they called for justice and urged the police to intensify the investigation.
The protestors also demanded compensation from the owner of the coaching centre to assist with the renovation of the institute following the arson incident.
A protesting student expressed his dismay, stating, “We have nothing to say about why it was burnt, but we condemn the burning of a sacred place like an educational institution. We demanded the administration to assist in its reconstruction.”
The coaching centre was set ablaze by unidentified miscreants on the night of September 12, just two days after its owner, Ranjan Rabha, held a press conference questioning the tribal identity of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) Chief Executive Member (CEM) Tankeswar Rabha.
The incident has raised concerns about potential connections between the arson and Rabha’s public statements.
Ranjan Rabha alleged that supporters of Tankeswar Rabha were behind the arson attack, claiming it was an act of revenge for the press conference he had held.
In that press conference, Rabha accused Tankeswar Rabha of holding the position of CEM of the RHAC under a false tribal identity, asserting that Rabha is from a non-tribal Sarania family.
Rabha further alleged that, according to Rabha customary law, the Sarania title is not recognized as part of the Rabha tribes, thereby questioning the legitimacy of Tankeswar Rabha’s tribal status.
