Several private schools in Haryana remained shut on Wednesday in response to a call by their associations against the murder of a school principal in Hisar this past week allegedly by two minor students.
The associations demanded that the school principals be give weapon licences and a law be enacted for the safety of the teachers, besides seeking a martyr’s status for the deceased principal, Jagbir Panu.
Panu, running a private school in Hansi, was stabbed to death by two of his students on July 10 for allegedly admonishing them for indiscipline. He would often ask them to tuck in their shirts and get their hair trimmed, said the police. Four juveniles in conflict with the law were apprehended a day after the murder.
Private Schools’ Sangh Haryana president Satyavan Kundu told The Hindu that there was a sense of fear among the teaching fraternity with the growing number of cases of violence against them and a law needed to be enacted in this connection. “In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, the associations have demanded that Panu be given the status of a martyr and ₹1 crore ex gratia be given to his family. We have also demanded that Police Control Room vehicles be stationed outside the schools,” he said.
National Independent Schools’ Alliance national president Kulbhushan stressed the need for a comprehensive law to ensure the safety of the teachers and students inside the campus. “Since the students, as in the present case, are minors, they get away with light punishment even for the heinous crimes. In the present case, the murder was pre-meditated… Even after the murder, the students reportedly released a video issuing threats to the family. Law should be suitably amended to treat them at par with other criminals,” he said.
Mr. Kulbhushan added that they have submitted memoranda to the office of the President and the Prime Minister as well.
Published – July 17, 2025 01:24 am IST
