Silchar, Aug. 13: Residents of a number of villages in Barak Valley's Karimganj district locked Amdahar Lower Primary School and staged a demonstration yesterday, demanding stern action against its teachers for allegedly neglecting their duties on a regular basis.

The school, which falls under Ramakrishnanagar education block in the district, is around 17km from Karimganj town and around 84km from here. It is run by two teachers - headmaster Muhid Ahmed and another teacher, Saleha Begum. The school is the sole option of primary education for students of several villages, including Amdahar, Fatepur, Rupail, Dolurbond and a few others.

The villagers alleged that both the teachers remain regularly absent for which studies get hampered. They rued that students attend the school daily despite poor transport facilities in the area but they receive no benefits.

The school is located in a low-lying area and remains inundated most of the year. As such, students have to come to the school by boats. The villagers also alleged that the teachers come to the school for sheer formality and leave before the scheduled time. Both the teachers receive their salaries for "doing nothing", they alleged.

The villagers said they would not unlock the school until the matter is resolved and necessary action taken against the teachers. The students came to the school yesterday as usual but none of the teachers were present, they said. When the teachers did not come even around 1pm, it infuriated the villagers who immediately locked the school and staged a demonstration, demanding suspension of the teachers.

The school management committee was thereafter informed about the matter, following which, committee president Hajir Uddin, along with a few other persons, reached the spot. But none of them could answer what made the teachers play truant.

The block's elementary education officer, Madhab Saha, said a complaint has been received and the higher authorities informed.

"The matter would be thoroughly investigated and strict action would be taken against the teachers, if found guilty," he said.

Both the teachers claimed that they were ill and that's why couldn't attend the school yesterday. The teachers dismissed the allegations of remaining regularly absent in the school and neglecting their duties.