Fear of Maoists keeps school shut for 3 months

During the Lok Sabha elections in April Maoist rebels blew up a portion of a school building in Bihar's Gaya district to prevent security forces from using it as a camp. Three months later, authorities of the Patluka Bunyadi (Basic) School are yet to re-open it.

During the Lok Sabha elections in April Maoist rebels blew up a portion of a school building in Bihar's Gaya district to prevent security forces from using it as a camp. Three months later, authorities of the Patluka Bunyadi (Basic) School are yet to re-open it.

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"Fear of the Maoists kept the teachers from opening the school. They stopped coming to school," said Rajendra Prasad, a resident of Patluka village, located under Barachatti police station in Gaya district, some 100 km from Patna.

Villagers have informed the local administration about the closure of the school due fear of the Maoists. But no step has been taken to re-open the school.

Parents are worried as their children's education was being affected by the closure.

"We can only wait till it opens," said Savita Devi, mother of a student.

Before blowing up the school building in April, Maoists told the villagers it was being destroyed to prevent security forces from using it in future.