Classroom stabbing after youth spurned

Statesman News Service

KOLKATA/MALDA, Dec. 17: Campus violence reached the state today when a Class XI student at Hariharpara, Murshidabad, repeatedly stabbed a Class VII girl after she had turned down a marriage proposal. The boy consumed poison later on. Both the students are now in hospital. Police said Noorman Ali (19), a class XI student of Baruipara High School, today asked Ramjina Khatun (14), a class VII student of the same school, to meet him in a vacant class room around 10.30 a.m. Police came to know from locals that Noorman was having an affair with Ramjina over the past few months. But, of late, the girl was reportedly trying to keep distance from Noorman after her family members had objected. When the girl arrived in the vacant classroom, Noorman asked her to promise that she would marry him. But when the girl refused to make any commitment, citing her family’s objection, Noorman started stabbing her until she fell unconscious. When the girl fell down on the floor, Noorman consumed poison. Noticing that Ramjina was lying on the floor of the classroom, senior students drew the attention of their teachers. Teachers rushed to the spot and the girl was taken to a nearby primary health centre. The accused was then taken to the teachers’ room where he was asked to sit and the school authorities informed the police of the incident. Till then, the accused did not divulge that he had consumed poison. When police rushed to the spot, Noorman fell ill. On interrogation, police came to know that he had consumed poison. He was then taken to Berhampore Sadar Hospital. Meanwhile, relatives of Ramjina reached the PHC and took her to New General Hospital in Berhampore. When contacted, Mr Rahul Srivastava, superintendent of police, Murshidabad, said: “We are apprehensive about the condition of both the students. Currently they are under observation of the doctors and any legal step could be taken only after the accused is discharged from the hospital.”