Imphal, Nov. 20: Attempts by a private school organisation to resume classes in Manipur today failed after three student organisations spearheading the class boycott campaign issued “threats” against such a move.

The All Manipur Govt Recognised Private Schools Welfare Association had appealed to the student organisations to lift the class boycott by yesterday, in a meeting at Hafta Kangjeibung here on November 15.

It decided that if they failed to announce the lifting of the class boycott, the private schools would resume classes from today.

Following the decision, some students turned up at private schools located across the valley districts. But classes could not be held in view of the threat against reopening of classes.

The association has more than 200 member schools across the state.

The All Manipur Students Union, Manipuri Students Federation and Kangleipak Students Association, which called the class boycott campaign, yesterday issued a joint statement against any attempt to resume classes.

“Students turned up today following the decision taken by the organisation. But in view of the threat by the three student bodies, we could not conduct classes,” a spokesman for the private schools’ association, said.

A source at Harberth Higher Secondary School located in Imphal West said though the students came, no classes could be conducted.

“We fear that the school could be targeted if the classes resume. We are in a state of terror,” a teacher of another private school in Imphal said.

Protesters set six schools on fire since the class boycott campaign began on September 9 as a part of the Apunba Lup agitation against the July 23 firing incident, in which passerby Rabina Devi and former militant Ch. Sanjit were killed in an alleged fake encounter.

The latest attack was on a private school located in Thoubal district on November 17. Classes in government schools and colleges were also paralysed.

The private schools could not restore normality on their campuses despite instructions by the director-general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh to all superintendents of police in the four valley districts to step up security.

The school authorities, however, do not want security guards at their schools, feeling it would provoke the protesters further.

Such is the security concern that the central committee of the private schools association reviewed the situation today at an undisclosed location. But no details of any decision taken during the meeting could be known.