Muzaffarpur, Feb. 21: After a lull of 19 days, Dhanraj High School in Tengrari village under Minapur police station reopened today under strict police vigilance.

The school came into limelight after Maoists hoisted black flags on the school premise asking it to boycott Republic Day. Two teachers of the school were beaten up badly after they removed the black flags.

The rebels finally took a softer stance today after repeated appeals made by the schoolchildren of Dhanraj High to allow the school to start classes again.

The north west zonal committee of the Maoists in the wee hours today distributed over 1,000 pamphlets and assured safety of the teachers in Tengrari village and its adjoining hamlets.

After the school reopened today, policemen guarded the school premises all through the day to thwart any untoward action of the rebels.

Earlier, after two teachers — Pramod Kumar Sinha and Birendra Kumar Singh, who hoisted the National Flag on the Republic Day — were beaten up, a sense of insecurity gripped the school.

Many teachers skipped school after the incident, which adversely affected the studies of the students.

The schoolchildren then came forward against the indifferent attitude of the school authorities and took out an appeal march from February 13.

The rally passed through eight villages including Tengrari, Gosai, Dhekuli, Budhnagra, Gosaitola, and Ghesot that culminated into a public meeting on the school premises on February 20.

Deputy superintendent of police (East) Shibli Nomani said: “Police have visited Tengrari to instil a sense of confidence among the fear-stricken villagers particularly the schoolchildren and teachers. They were assured of early opening of the school.”

District education officer, R.N. Pandey said: “The teachers have been directed to attend classes else they would be punished. They have been assured of full safety. The block education officer has been asked to remain present in the school and supervise the teaching.”

Minapur police have seized several pamphlets distributed by Maoists today morning.

The pamphlets, however, welcomed the initiative of the students and assured them that the teachers will not be hurt in the future.

However, the pamphlets also read that the teachers should not adopt a confrontational path with the rebels and should always abide by its diktat.