The school of Rupam Pathak in Purnea. Picture by Amit Kumar

Purnea, Jan. 7: Most of them remember her as a soft-spoken lady who was passionate about education. But none of them want to be associated with Rupam Pathak, who stabbed and killed Purnea MLA Rajkishore Keshari.

The students and teachers of Rajnish Private School that Rupam established in 2006 are reticent about their principal, who is now in judicial custody. Most of them are shocked over the way things have turned out.

“I sent my two children to the school for a better education. But now I am shocked by the incident,” said Naresh Das, a resident of Dhamadaha. He said he never suspected anything about Rupam.

The school remained closed on Friday and the employees chose to be tight-lipped.

“If you disclose my name the police will certainly arrest me and also implicate me on the false charges,” said a lady employee of the school. Some frightened employees have run away from Purnea.

The school started off with 125 students. Now it has about 75 students, in classes Nursery to X. No student of the school has yet taken the board exam. In 2007, Rupam had approached Keshari for funds to construct a road to the school. The MLA was also the chief guest for the annual function on April 14, 2007.

Rupam’s husband Ashok Kumar Pathak said the school was doing well.

Incidentally, Navlesh Pathak, the journalist who was arrested yesterday in association with Keshari’s murder has a personal connection with the school — his wife Roma Pathak is a teacher at the school. Navlesh was the first person to report the case of Rupam’s alleged sexual harassment.

A resident of Churanpur area, where the school is located, said: “I did not see anything wrong with Rupam. She was soft spoken but very passionate about education.”

Most guardians preferred to remain silent and refrained from commenting on the issue. “Please do not ask us any questions. We do not want to be associated with her controversy,” said a parent.

Another parent said her 10-year-old daughter had always had great respect for Rupam. “My husband had told me about the controversy earlier. But I had not paid much attention,” said the parent.

A third parent said he had removed his elder son from the school in July 2010 after he learnt of the alleged sexual harassment of Rupam.

“Like many others, I transferred my ward from the school after I heard of the incident,” said the parent.

“We are investigating at the school where Rupam used to stay,” said a senior police officer.