By Ebi Kesiena
Many students numbering up to 20 of the Islamic Senior High School in the Ashanti Region of Ghana were rushed to the hospital on Monday, after police allegedly opened tear gas on them while they were demonstrating over frequent road accidents in front of the school.
According to local media reports, the students had blocked the road in front of their school in the course of their protest over frequent knockdowns.
In their protests, the students lamented that frequent calls for speed ramps have fallen on deaf ears.
In a citinews’ report, police were called in to clear the roadblock and disperse the demonstrating crowd.
Some of the students were said to have gone unconscious and others were left with severe pain. It is however not clear if that is a result of the alleged firing of tear gas.
A report by Ghanaweb indicates that the police have denied firing live bullets. According to the police, they only fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.
Worried parents stormed the school to demand the release of their wards as news of the incident went viral.
“I heard there is a scuffle in the school and the police attacked the students, shooting and beating them. I heard the police chased them even into their dormitories and were beating the girls. I feel very bad seeing school children on the floor unconscious. Everybody is messed up here,” a parent said.
However, the Ashanti regional education Director, Mary Owusu Afriyie told journalists that some of the victims have been resituated.
