LAHORE: A private school was allegedly attacked and its property damaged by area residents to protest sexual assault and subsequent disappearance of an eight-year-old boy by his teacher in Green Town on Tuesday.

A heavy contingent of police reached the site to maintain law and order as charged protesters gathered more people to intensify the agitation.

Witnesses told the media a private school teacher at Baggrian Chowk sexually assaulted a boy and fled from the scene. The boy’s parents rushed to the school and on finding their child missing called more people from the area.

They said as police reached the site late, people got charged up and attacked the school building damaging its windowpanes and doors. The protesters also beat up the school security guard and chanted slogans against the culprit schoolteacher as well as the management.

When police tried to disperse them, the residents pelted stones on them. Police retaliated by baton-charging the protesters turning the area into a little battlefield.

The witnesses further said the situation remained tense for a few hours and more policemen were called as the protesters attempted to set the school on fire. Senior police officers also reached the site.

After hours of negotiations, police officials managed to disperse the protesters assuring them the schoolteacher would be arrested and the boy recovered.

A police source, however, claimed the suspected schoolteacher had been taken into custody and police high-ups were concealing his arrest to avoid wrath of the charged protesters.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2016