Confusion reigned outside the premises of the Madresah Taiyebiah School Secondary School at Karwa Road in Navapura, when parents reaching the spot discovered the gates locked.

A member of the school management committee told Express Newsline that the school had been temporarily closed. ``It is not advisable for the management to risk the lives of students and teachers in view of the agitation by hooligans and dangerous people'', he said.

The agitators are demanding that the monthly fees be brought down to Rs 155, while the management is firm on keeping it at Rs 185.

Alleging that the fee hike was being turned into a prestige issue, the management committee member claimed the parents had gone on a fast primarily to ensure the matter went to the district administration.

The administration, incidentally, has already intervened in the matter once with no success.

Some of the agitating parents indicated today that they would seek the intervention of the collector and the district education officer again if necessary.

``We will again lead a delegation to the collector's office'', Duraiyya Lokhandwala stated today.

Collector R M Shah, meanwhile, expressed his readiness to bring the two sides to the discussion table. ``We are always willing to find a solution to the problem'', he said.