Attack on St. Therese was pre-planned; intention was to disturb peace'

Mangalore, October 23: The management of city based St Theresa's School, where a statue of St Therese was attacked by the miscreants in the early hours of Sunday, said that the intention behind the evil act was to desecrating the statue and creating breach of the peace in the city.

Addressing a media conference at the School premises here after the attack, Sr Lynette, former president of the Parent Teacher Association of the School said the attack was pre-planned and a trouble monger group has deliberately committed this crime with an evil intention.

Denouncing the act of the miscreants as a 'heinous crime', she urged the city police for quick action against the culprits.

“The Bethany Educational Society, of which St Theresa's School is a unit, educates lakhs of children all over the country from primary school to college education. This kind of episode has deeply hurt the sentiments of the management, staff and parents. It is our ardent plea that the miscreants be identified and suitable action taken against them”, she said.

“Having a harmonies relationship between the students, staff, management and parents, we are deeply pre-planned activity. Therefore not only the miscreants but also the forces behind this act must be brought to books,” she exhorted.

“This episode gives us deep pain because even before this, on February 20, 2007 the same statue was attacked. Glass case of the statue was broken. Similarly on November 20, 2009 window panes were broken identified till date and no justice was meted out to us”, she lamented.

Stating that St. Theresa's School which was started in the year 1997 and currently has strength of 1300 students and 60 staff members, runs for a noble cause, she said that children from all communities without any discrimination of caste, creed and gender are being educated there.

“Being affiliated to ICSC board, the school enjoys a reputation for its excellence in education, discipline as well as good and harmonious relationship”, she added.

“The Sisters of the institution were shocked this morning when the watchmen informed them that some miscreants, who came in a motor bike without a number plate, threw bricks at the glass case of the statue of St. Therese and the window panes of the school between 4:00 am and 4:30 am. The Principal Sr Premitha has already filed a complaint at the Kadri police station”, she informed.

Asked whether the school management suspects any particular group's hand in this incident, Sr. Rose Celine, the chairperson of PTA said: “We do not blame anyone. However, the motorbike without number-plate makes clear that it was a pre-planned attack and even the brick they used is not from our compound.”

Sr. Rose Saltalha, PTA Vice-President was present among others in the press meet.

Mild tension in city as miscreants target St Therese