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Headmaster dies after attack in Malappuram

MALAPPURAM: A primary school headmaster died after being roughed up at a cluster meeting of teachers at Kizhisseri in the district on Saturday.

Activists of the Muslim Youth League protesting against the controversial Class VII Social Science textbook allegedly roughed up James Augustine, 40, headmaster of ALP School, Valillapuzha, near Areekode, when he came to attend the meeting. The protesters had already locked the school gate as part of the State-wide agitation against cluster meetings.

Witnesses said Mr. Augustine was manhandled when he moved towards the school through a narrow pathway around 11 a.m. He collapsed following the attack. He was rushed to a private hospital at Kizhissery, from where he was referred to a hospital in Kozhikode. He died on the way to Kozhikode.

The body was shifted to Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, where a post-mortem examination will be conducted on Sunday morning. Mr. Augustine, who belonged to Thottumukkam, near Thamarassery, in Kozhikode district, had been a member of the Kerala Aided Primary Teachers’ Union till he became a headmaster two months ago.

The Kerala Private Primary Headmasters’ Association, an independent organisation of which Mr. Augustine was a member, demanded an inquiry into the circumstances leading to his death and action against those responsible for it. M. Sudhakaran, president of the association, said the death was brutal.

Director of Public Instruction A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish sought a report on the incident. Deputy Director of Education K.C. Gopi said he would conduct an inquiry and submit the report on Monday.

Apart from teachers’ organisations, most political, social and cultural organisations deplored the incidents leading to the death of the headmaster.

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