Tensions ran high at a Catholic-run school at Katipalla on the outskirts of Mangaluru city on Thursday, August 11. This happened after a few parents accused a school teacher of forcing their ward to untie the rakhi they were wearing.
Hindutva activists and parents who had gathered right in front of the school said that students were forced to remove their rakhis and throw them in the dustbin. When the situation was on the edge of going out of control, Surathkal police were called and they rushed to the spot, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
Fr Santhosh Lobo, Head of the school, maintained that the teacher did not force the students to unite the rakhis. In fact, it was the complaint of a few students that they were forcibly tied rakhis on Thursday inside the classroom.
"The parents alleged that the headmistress forced them to untie the rakhi and bring them to her office. She did not force them. Until noon, there was no problem. But in the afternoon, one student complained that a few students were forcefully tying rakhis. So the teacher hurried to take action by requesting them to untie the rakhis and bring them to her office," Fr Lobo clarified, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
On Friday, August 12, the authorities of the school issued an apology. One of the parents even tied a rakhi to Fr Lobo. "Yes. I am for it (tying rakhi) as it is the custom of Hindus to tie rakhi as a sign of brotherhood," he said.
The issue was resolved with the intervention of the police.
