Yashodhara Bangera
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 6: The first ever army recruitment drive at Vidyagiri in Moodbidri began on Tuesday August 5. Registration of candidates, recording of body measurements like height and weight etc, had begun on Monday August 4. During the week ahead, physical and medical tests will be conducted in different phases for the candidates who have arrived from various districts of the state to take part in the recruitment rally, which is being held under the supervision of the army recruitment office in Mangalore.

Over 4,000 candidates swooped on the town for taking part in the rally on Monday. Registration formalities were completed and height measurement was recorded in respect of about 2,500 candidates who have completed PU education and are interested in taking up examination meant for the posts of Sepoy clerk and storekeeper in the Indian army, which was held on Tuesday. After registering them for the rally, tokens were issued.

Food and stay arrangements have been made for all the candidates at Vidyagiri, the organizers claimed. Separate recruitment rally is being held in the campus at Vidyagiri, where parking arrangement has been provided at the entrance. For security, a contingent of Karnataka State Reserve Police and 25 additional police personnel have been posted, it is gathered. In addition, over 25 staff of Alva's Education Foundation have been working with these persons as volunteers.

Army recruitment officer, Vishwanath, and Subedar Major Charanjith Singh have been supervising the recruitment rally process. Alva's Education Foundation chairman, Dr M Mohan Alva, trustee, Vivek Alva, tahsildar, Muhammed Issac, and others were present to issue directions and help in orderly arrangement of the rally.

School vandalized

However, several of the youngsters, reportedly belonging to north Karnataka, who had arrived here for participating in the said rally, venue of which is located near Handelu primary school here, not only broke the school door and a door lock, but also left the surroundings of the school dirty. The incident occurred on the night of Monday August 4.

On Monday night, some participants of this rally broke the main door of the school and broke a lock of a room. They also shattered the window classes of some class rooms. They further polluted the surroundings by using the area for urinating and defecating, it is learnt. A number of liquor bottles were found strewn around the school building on Tuesday morning.

Some fifth standard girl students had left behind their note books in their desks. The boys, who wrote the cell phone number, 9900796547 in the books in bold letters, also left behind a note asking these girls to call this number.

Thousands of persons coming from different places participated in this recruitment rally, but the contingent of 25 policemen posted at the spot was found to be woefully inadequate to control the mob. The above school is located at the very entrance to the recruitment camp ground, and no policemen were posted here.

It is learnt that on Monday evening, some of the candidates approached the school teachers, seeking permission to stay in the school for the night. But, the teachers turned down their request. Still, about 200 to 300 aspirants of the recruitment rally slept on the school platform. To escape from heavy rains at night, a big group pushed the main door of the school, and it crumbled under their combined strength, some eyewitnesses said.

It is also gathered, that a few persons, who visited a studio near the bus stand for getting their photographs taken as they were required to be furnished at the rally, also stole a high value cell phone of the studio owner, it is gathered.