Palin AP - Victims of a fire
By ANS |
| Chennai, Feb. 14. (ANS - Dimapur) - On Thursday 11 February a fire broke out in a small student hostel near the Don Bosco Institute in Palin, in the State of Arunachal Pradesh (AP), bordering China in the ``India-Dimapur`` Province. 14 children died and another 6 are in hospital. Fr Maria Arokiam Kanaga, Councillor for the Salesian South Asia Region writes: |
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``I am sorry to tell you some sad news``, he begins. Then he explains: ``The small hostel, run by a Catholic family, was a wooden structure and reportedly caught fire through the candles that were used by students to study at night.``
``These students were studying in our school. Although we have nothing to do with the hostel, the public is protesting against us. Of these children who died only one is a Catholic and the others belong to a Protestant sect called ``The Revival Church``. They are against the Catholics, and when there is an excuse like this they show it. They have brought the bodies of the children and buried them in the middle of the mud basket ball court of our house,`` Fr Kanaga continues.
``The confreres,`` he continues, ``unable to dialogue with the crowd, have locked themselves in the house, and they are safe. The situation is tense. The Provincial was going to the place, but the police and the politicians advised him not to go there, since that will create only further problems at present. The police are guarding the place. The Chief Minister of the State is visiting on Friday 12 February.``
``It is sad to lose so many children in such a tragic manner. I know the place well. Most of the houses in those areas are made of bamboo, and thatched with leaves and palms. So it was nothing unusual that this hostel was in that way!`` Fr Kanaga adds.
``I request you,`` the Regional Councillor concludes, `` to pray for the children, their families, and our confreres and the school. The situation is tense, but I think it will eventually become calm, when people come down from their initial anger and reason takes over.``
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