Masked Attackers Enter Staff Room, Stab School Principal in Khunti; Police Scan CCTV

Photo: RP

A stabbing inside a school campus in Jharkhand's Khunti district on Wednesday morning has left teachers and staff shaken, after unidentified attackers made their way into the staff room of St. Michael's School and attacked its principal with a sharp-edged weapon before fleeing.

The injured principal, Father Benny Ekka, was rushed to hospital immediately after the attack and is currently under treatment. The fact that the assailants managed to reach a staff room inside the school grounds has triggered fear among the teaching and non-teaching staff, who are now grappling with how such an attack could unfold on campus.

Police reached the spot as soon as they were informed and began investigating. Officers are now examining CCTV footage from cameras installed in and around the school premises, hoping to identify the attackers and trace the route they took while fleeing.

The motive behind the attack is still unclear. Police are trying to establish how the attackers got as far as the staff room and why Father Benny Ekka was specifically targeted. A fuller picture is expected only once the investigation progresses.

What makes this case especially troubling is the ease of access. Attackers reaching an interior staff room without being stopped raises hard questions about campus security and whether the assault was carried out with inside knowledge or help. The CCTV footage is now the most important lead police have, and it could reveal not just who the attackers were but how they moved in and out of the school. With the principal still under treatment, the investigation is under pressure to deliver answers quickly — both for the school and for a community already on edge.