The Ramesh Chandra Dutta girls’ school in Balurghat is still under lock and key, and no classes and activities are being conducted there. The main gate at the girls’ hostel is also locked. No action has been yet taken up by the School Education Department or the Civil Administration regarding closure of the school, it is alleged. ‘

Controversy cropped up after two teachers fought over the post of the head mistress of the school. Soon after the Saraswati Puja vacation, when the school reopened on 27 January, teachers noticed that the main gate of the hostel was locked. Students from different corners of the district had to return home.

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The Headmistress and other assistant teachers jointly lodged a complaint with the Balurghat police, while they also served letters to the DM, SDO and Police Superintendent on 2 February, informing them of the situation, sources said. The hostel accommodates 120 inmates and is sponsored by the Backward Classes Welfare Department and is dedicated to tribal girls.

A number of girls from Tapan and Hili have applied for hostel facility. The tug-of-war between the two teachers for the post of the Headmistress has crippled the school since the past one year. Sweety Tudu, who was earlier the teacher-incharge of the school, was taken over by Swapana Chakrabarty, who was appointed by the school education department as the Headmistress.

Ms Tudu, however, contested the decision of the school education department and disagreed to hand over charge to Mrs Chakrabarty. The squabble continued even after the intervention of the District Inspector of Schools (Secondary).

“I have decided to shift my daughter from the school and will admit her in our village school at Lashkarhat. She may face problems at home because of the unavailability of electricity,” said Budhni Soren, a guardian. Mrs Chakrabarty said, “We are waiting for the students to come back to the school. Neither the Education Department nor the Civil Administration has taken steps to solve the problem. The students are ultimately suffering. This should be stopped at the soonest.”