A student wing close to the Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist has padlocked four community schools for an indefinite period in the district. The All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary) affiliated to Chand faction said that it padlocked the schools for they charged exorbitant fees and did not provide scholarships to students. The student union padlocked Bal Kalyan Higher Secondary School in Kotbara, Tribhuwan Janata Higher Secondary School in Khalanga, Shivajan Higher Secondary School in Sitalpati, and Bame-based Mukti Secondary School. Chetan Giri, a district leader of the student organisation, said they padlocked the educational institutions as they defied an agreement reached with the District Education Office. “We will padlock other schools as well if our demands are not addressed immediately,” Giri said. He added that the schools charged high amount of money as fees despite the government’s policy to provide free education up to the secondary level.