Police round up blind persons near CM’s house

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on June 13, 2010:

CHENNAI: The Royepettah police on Saturday rounded up more than 25 students of the Government School for Visually Challenged at Poonamallee, who were in the city to meet the Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to air their grievances directly, before they could reach the Chief Minister’s Gopalapuram residence.

Since the school authorities announced unscheduled holidays for the school just to douse down their agitation for removal of headmaster (in charge) David Wilson, a group of 25 students planned to meet the Chief Minister to apprise him of the ground situation.

Around 1.30 pm when they were nearing the Chief Minister’s residence, local police rounded them up and brought them to the Royepettah police station for questioning.

According to the students, they were kept at the police station for almost five hours and by 6.30 pm, a police van left them at the Marina Beach and ensured that all of them boarded Poonamalle-bound buses.

Speaking to Express, one of the students said, “We were here to meet the Chief Minister and wanted him to understand the problems faced by us at Poonamalle school, but failed to meet him as he was busy on a function, we were told.”
The visually challenged students also vowed not to attend classes till the headmaster (in charge), David Wilson, was removed from the post.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that some of the associations working for the visually challenged have planned to take up the issue in a big manner in coming days.