SUKKUR, May 24: Students and office-bearers of the Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA), after boycotting the examination for HSC Part-I and II on Wednesday, staged a sit-in on Minara Road to protest against reports the chairman of the board had mistreated a girl student and a teacher.

The reports said hundreds of students and SPLA office-bearers staged the sit-in and blocked the main Minara Road by burning tyres and pelting the passing vehicles with stones. Afterwards, they staged a demonstration in front of the press club.

A heavy contingent of police arrived during the demonstration and baton charged the protesters to disperse them. Police also arrested two students who were later released.

The protesting students told the newsmen that the chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Sukkur during his visit to a school in Khairpur, misbehaved with a girl student. When a teacher tried to stop him, he and his guards manhandled him as well, they charged.

SPLA leader Shafqat Jokhio said that the boycott would continue till the chairman’s removal. If the demand was not met the SPLA would spread its protest movement throughout the province.

The Employees Alliance joined in the demand giving a three-day ultimatum for the chairman’s removal. The alliance which comprises PTA, GSTA, SPLA, APCA, Lower Staff and others will meet on May 26 to form a joint strategy.

BISE chairman Mehboob Shaikh denied reports of his manhandling the teacher or misbehaving with a girl student and said it was a baseless allegation.

The board, after the SPLA protest, postponed the rest of examinations, and sent a letter to the governor of Sindh to apprise him of the situation, he said.

Our Khairpur Correspondent adds: The SPLA on Tuesday boycotted the examination of HSC Part-II at 29 examination centres in the district.

The association said in a statement on Wednesday said that it boycotted the examination in protest against the chairman of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Sukkur who manhandled Professor Mohammad Bux Mandan through his guard during a visit to an examination centre in Government College for Women on Tuesday