Students of Bapu Smarak Mahila Uchcha Vidyalaya attend a class in the presence of a police constable on Thursday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Students of two government schools in Patna are compelled to attend classes with police protection from eve-teasers.

Students of Bapu Smarak Mahila Uchcha Vidyalaya and Bapu Smarak Mahila Madhya Vidyalaya on Nala Road come to classes with fear. Not of the teachers or the school authorities but of criminals who often interrupt their studies by passing lewd comments and destroying the property of the institution.

On Friday, criminals broke the door of the schools’ bathrooms on the campus they share. The school authorities lodged a complaint with Kadamkuan police station with the help of MLA Arun Kumar Sinha, who is also a member of their management committees.

The next day, four woman constables were deputed at the school.

Police, however, claim that the students and the school authorities are making a mountain out of a molehill. They have not lodged an FIR for the vandalism of the school property.

Kadamkuan police station in-charge Sanjay Singh told The Telegraph: “The school authorities earlier complained about eve-teasing to us. We did not lodge an FIR but warned the boys accused that if they did not stop disturbing the students strict action would be taken. The school authorities complained to us again and this time, we deputed four woman constables for the students’ security.”

He added: “In the course of my investigation, I found the only problem was that the local boys were using the schools’ toilets. It’s nothing serious.”

The school authorities and students, however, claim that the situation is far worse.

Neelam Singh, principal, Bapu Smarak Mahila Uchcha Vidyalaya, said: “Our students are a scared lot. A group of boys who hang around in the area used to tease the girls and deflate the tyres of their bicycles. A few days back, they broke the doors of the school toilets. I was forced to complain to the police.”

Megha Kumari, a Class X student, said: “The boys used to abuse us and pass lewd comments. Some of them often interrupted our classes.”

Her classmate Aarti said: “Since the toilet doors were broken, some of the students have started to stay away from the school.”

The students claimed that the situation was better after the constables made their presence felt. But they are also fearful that their tormentors would return once the cop cover is withdrawn. “What will happen when the constables leave?” asked Megha.

Their fear is not unfounded. The police are planning to withdraw within a week. The Kadamkuan police station in-charge said: “The constables deputed at the school would be withdrawn within a week.”

Principal Neelam Singh said: “If our students are disturbed again, we shall have no other alternative but to revert to the police.”