Jharkhand school principal under probe for forcing girls to remove shirts as punishment

In a shocking incident that sparked outrage among parents, more than 100 Class 10 students at Carmel School in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district were allegedly forced to remove their shirts, some of them reportedly in front of male teachers, and sent home wearing only blazers as punishment for celebrating “pen day” on Jan 9.

The punishment by the school principal that left several students traumatized has prompted the district administration to order a probe following a complaint by parents.

The girls, who were marking the last day of school by writing good wishes on each other’s shirts, were reprimanded by Principal M. Devashree, who reportedly claimed that such behavior would harm the school’s reputation.

The principal objected to the celebration and asked the students to remove their shirts, even though they sought an apology. All students were sent back home in their blazers without the shirts, according to the parents.

Outraged by the action, many parents filed a formal complaint against the school principal before the Deputy Commissioner on Jan 11 seeking stern action.

The parents alleged the students were made to remove their shirts on the school campus, some of them in front of male teachers.

“Scared by the principal’s behavior, the girls complied on the campus itself. When some hesitated, they were coerced. While about 20 students had spare shirts, over 100 girls were sent home wearing only blazers,” a parent alleged.

Describing the incident as “mental harassment,” another parent said, “We were shocked to learn that our daughters were subjected to this humiliation. The management’s actions are indefensible. It was a form of mental assault.”

He alleged that mobile phones were confiscated from students to ensure the incident was not recorded.

The incident has reportedly left several students traumatized, with many expressing reluctance to return to school.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Madhvi Mishra has formed a five-member committee to investigate the matter. The committee comprises the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), District Education Officer (DEO), District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO), Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), and the officer in charge of the Jharia police station.

“Parents have lodged complaints, and we have spoken to some of the affected students. The district administration is handling this matter with urgency. Based on the committee’s findings, appropriate action will be taken,” said Mishra.

Jharia MLA Ragni Singh condemned the principal’s actions, describing them as “shameful” and “unfortunate.”

“The Deputy Commissioner has assured a fair investigation, and strict action will be taken based on the findings,” she said.