Varantharappilly (Thrissur): In a noble gesture, students of CJMA Higher Secondary School here saved a schoolmate studying in class 6 from being evicted from his house following attachment by the bank.
The class 6 student lived in a house with his mother - a heart patient - and grandmother who is suffering from some untreatable ailments. After they failed to clear a housing loan and the dues mounted to Rs 2,59,728, the lending bank issued a notice and an auction of the property was scheduled on December 18.
The teachers at the school learnt about the notice only recently, and on December 13 they instructed all students to pool in money to repay the loan. In the instruction, students were urged to deposit whatever cash they could obtain, in a collection box kept at the school by December 15. The students were also informed that their identities would be kept confidential.
Soon, many students put cash - mostly their savings from pocket money - in the box, with four youngsters emptying the entire contents of their piggy banks into it.
Contributions by students ranged from Rs 100 to 7000 and the total came to a whopping Rs 1.70 lakh. In addition, teachers pooled in Rs 1.28 lakh for the cause. Together, the amount collected by the students and teachers came to Rs 2.98 lakh. With Rs 2.59 lakh, the entire dues on the house were cleared on December 16, two days before the auction. The balance amount was deposited in the name of the class 6 student.
Those who led the fund-collection effort included school principal Jophy C Manjali; PTA president P C Jose; staff secretary Jelips Paul; first assistant Gelma K Kizhakkooden and panchayat member John Thulaparambil.
