Harassment
88 school girls allegedly forced to undress as punishment in Arunachal school
In a shocking incident, 88 students of a girls school in Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly forced to undress as a punishment for writing vulgar words against the head teacher, reported PTI.
The students of class VI and VII of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Tani Happa (New Sagalee) in Papum Pare district were subjected to the humiliating treatment on November 23, according to police.
The matter, however, came to light on November 27 after the girls recounted the incident to All Sagalee Students Union (ASSU), who then filed an FIR with the local police.
According to the complaint, three teachers forced the 88 girls to undress before other students after they found a piece of paper having vulgar words about the head teacher and a girl student.
“The officer in-charge of the (women) police station said the victims and their parents along with the teachers will be interrogated before registering a case,” Tumme Amo, Superintendent of Police, Papum Pare said. He also added that the complaint has been forwarded to the local women police station. The girls and their families also reportedly met a team of All Papum Pare District Students Union (APPDSU).
“The school authorities did not speak to the parents of the students before punishing them,” APPDSU president Nabam Tado said.
Condemning the incident, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) said such “heinous act” by the teachers might affect the students.
“Tempering with a child’s dignity is against the law as well as the Constitution. To discipline a student is an attitude, character, responsibility and commitment of a teacher. Undressing a student is definitely not a corrective measure…Imposing such punishment is in total violation of child rights, and more likely it may accelerate the risk of child abuse,” the statement said.