Students at a government school for girls in Bhopal allegedly vandalised fans and other school properties on the eve of teacher’s day while protesting “harsh punishment” they had to face for turning up late.The girls claim that they were forced to clean premises and classrooms and stand in the baking sun for minor mistakes.
The girls also protested outside the school and blocked a road in front of it. The girls alleged that the discipline incharge, Varsha Jha, used to give them harsh punishment on coming late and made them stand in the baking sun.
A protesting student told ANI that there have also been incidents of students fainting due to scorching heat. She demanded the official’s removal.Meanwhile, Malini Verma, principal of Sarojini Naidu Girls Higher Secondary School, informed the media that Jha is retired from the army.
“There is a discipline in-charge at the school who stopped students when they came in late. No teacher was involved in giving punishment to any student. Varsha Jha is not a teacher here; she is a retired Captain from the military and appointed here as a discipline in-charge. All the officers from our department are present and they will take the requisite action,” Verma said.
According to Mayur Khandelwal, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Habibganj, a police team was sent to the spot after school authorities informed them about the ruckus.
“We received information from Sarojini Naidu School that there were a few demands of the students due to which a law and order issue developed at the school. We arrived here and we are trying to convince the students and coordinating with the management,” the ACP states.
The matter ended when the discipline in-charge was finally removed.“The demands of the students to remove the captain (discipline in-charge) have been fulfilled and they should now go back to their classes,” said Narendra Kumar, District Education Officer, Bhopal.
