Arunachal: School staff evacuated from Palin

Authorities airlifted 14 staff of the Don Bosco School in Palin in Arunachal Pradesh including four teachers and the principal on Friday, after locals attacked the institution in the wake of the death of 14 school children on Wednesday night in a fire that razed a private hostel.

A source informed that the school staff including Principal Father Jose K were airlifted to Itanagar on Friday even as the school was declared closed till normalcy returned to the place. The rest of the staff of the school are to be evacuated on Saturday.

The school authority had already vacated its two hostels, anticipating trouble in the wake of Wednesday's fire. The two hostels housed 80 boys and 90 girls.

A high-level team lead by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu visited the site of tragic fire incident at Palin and met the parents of the children. Khandu handed over Rs 20 lakh to the district administration of Kurung Kumey to provide immediate financial assistance to the affected families. He announced a high-powered committee would probe into the tragedy and take action.

Khandu expressed shock at the lack of safety measures in the ill-fated private hostel where school children were staying. He said the proposed education policy of the state would have provisions for safety norms in government and private education institutions.