Mahadevapura govt school locked up in property row, students left in the lurch

BENGALURU: Students of government higher primary school in Mahadevapura were forced to sit outside their classroom and study after some unidentified persons locked up the school on Sunday over a property dispute.

The government school was started in 1964 and since then, thousands of students have passed out of the school.

Some individuals had filed a case in court, claiming that the land belonged to them. The Education Department has submitted all relevant documents related to the land before the court. However, on Sunday, some people locked up the school, leaving students, teachers and staff outdoors when they arrived on Monday.

Schoolchildren studying outside as the school building was locked up.

The Block Education Officer has filed a complaint at the Mahadevapura police station, but no action has been taken against them for illegally locking the school. Meanwhile, the parents of the children have requested the police to permit the schoolchildren to study in their classrooms until the court gives its verdict.

Block Education Officer Ramamurthy said all documents have been submitted in court.

“The Government Higher Primary School in Mahadevpura was started in 1964 and has been in the same place since the beginning. We have built another building with the help of the Hope Foundation’s CSR fund after the government approved one acre of land for the school. Last month, some relatives of Puttappa, a local resident, came and claimed that the property belonged to them. I have complained against them. The police told them to file a case in court and not to disturb the school functioning. They have forged many documents and are claiming that the property belongs to them. We have submitted everything to the court. On Sunday, they illegally entered the premises and locked the school”, said Block Education Officer Ramamurthy.