E-Paper
Police counsel students, parents following a spate of crude bomb attacks in Prayagraj
Since last month, the police have arrested 25 students, including six minors, who have been accused of crude bomb blasts across the city
Not criminals but students of high school and post-graduate courses have emerged as accused in a series of crude bomb attacks and explosions that have shaken the city for several months, according to the police. Police investigations have revealed that some students and youths have allegedly formed groups which often clashed for supremacy.
During the last month, police have arrested 25 students, including six minors studying in high school, intermediate, graduate, post-graduate, LLB courses and even some preparing for competitive examinations for allegedly being involved in crude bomb blasts across the city.
After the crude bomb explosion outside the main gate of the boys’ high school on Friday, some names of high school and intermediate students surfaced. One of the accused, a student of a school near the high court, has been identified and is at large. Police officials said that from June 23 to July 22, at least 25 students have been arrested, while over half a dozen are at large.
It is worth mentioning that a group of students, some of them living at Holland Hall hostel, were involved in the crude bomb attack at an eatery in Civil Lines. Four of them were arrested from the hostel on June 23, while two other aides were later nabbed by STF. On July 4, Daraganj police arrested four students, including three minors, for hurling crude bombs and opening fire on another group of youths near Bade Hanuman Temple. A joint team of Civil Lines and Georgetown police arrested 10 students, including three minors, for a crude bomb attack at a shop near Medical Crossing. Apart from these incidents, many students from Allahabad University and affiliated colleges have been arrested for similar offences in the past.
SSP Prayagraj Shailesh Kumar Pandey said action under harsh sections will be initiated against those involved in hurling crude bombs at the main gate of the boys’ high school. If the youths have formed gangs, action will be taken against them under the Gangster Act.
SSP has urged the parents to keep an eye on their children and management in schools has been asked to take action and counsel the students on the consequences of such misacts. “The career of students may be at stake if any criminal case was lodged against them,” the SSP said.
Meanwhile, police has itself taken the initiative to counsel students involved in violent activities after the incident of a crude bomb attack near Bade Hanuman Temple, which left half a dozen persons injured on July 4. Investigations revealed that the students were members of the ‘Amar’ and ‘Tandav’ groups. Police counselled the students in the presence of their parents. Parents were asked to keep a strict eye on their wards’ activities on social media platforms. Police were also trying to give a chance to minor students as per guidelines issued under the Juvenile Justice Act.
SP (City) Dinesh Kumar Singh said names of students of some reputed schools had surfaced in the series of crude bomb attacks. Police learnt the names of 20 students in connection with the incident at Bade Hanuman Temple. They were called and counselled in front of their parents. Some of the parents were informed about the objectionable activities of their children and were alerted to its consequences. Police are trying to contact parents of other students whose names have surfaced in other similar incidents, he added.
