Rishikul Sanatan College is now open after the Divisional Educational Officer, Mikaele Leawere ordered that the padlock at the main gate of the school be removed to allow the students to get into the premises.

Just before 8 o’clock this morning, Rishikul Manager, Vijay Nair who had earlier announced that the school would be closed until further notice, arrived at the school and opened the gates.

Nair came to the school after having a meeting with the Divisional Police Commander Southern at the Valelevu Police Station this morning.

More than 80 students of Rishikul Sanatan College were locked out of the school from about 7am.

Although it was made clear the school will be open today, the school committee locked up the main gates of Rishikul with a message that the school will be closed until further notice.

Some students came and waited outside the school for about half an hour this morning and returned home while about 80 students stayed outside the school compound hoping that the gates will be opened and normal classes will continue today. The gates were eventually opened up at about 8am.

Meanwhile, the Interim Education Minister stressed this morning that Rishikul Sanatan College will continue with normal classes today.

Following the announcement by the Rishikul management that the school will be closed until further notice, Interim Minister, Filipe Bole has made it clear that the management cannot order the closure of the school.

Bole said any such move would be illegal and he calls on all the students of Rishikul to attend school today.

Police have also confirmed that as far as they are concerned, Rishikul Sanatan College is open.

Officer in Charge, Valelevu Police ASP Manoj Singh said that police officers are at the school from this morning to maintain the peace between the School Management and the Principal Mahendra Pal adding that their first priority is the student's safety.

Village News has also received confirmation that the Rishikul management has decided that they will not hand over the keys of the Principal's Office to the Principal, Mahendra Pal who was forcefully taken into school premises by the police yesterday.