In a harrowing incident, teachers of a government girls’ school in Fazilka district of Punjab allegedly strip-searched some students to check who was menstruating after a sanitary pad was found thrown in the school’s toilet. All the girls were from classes VII and VIII and were stripped by the teachers because they wanted to check who did not dispose of the sanitary pad properly. Allegedly, it was the warden who ordered the strip-search.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh takes action
A video clip showed the distressed girls crying and complaining about the unfortunate incident. The incident came to the notice of the school authorities following the girls complaining to their parents, said a report by India Today.
While one of the accused teachers has gone in hiding, two other teachers have been transferred, after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh took notice of the incident, according to an official spokesperson. He has also asked Education Secretary Krishan Kumar to take necessary actions after the investigation is completed by Monday, reported Firstpost.
Officials said that the teachers could have educated the girls about proper disposal of sanitary napkins instead of doing what they did.
A similar incident
In a similar incident, nearly 40 girls in March this year were stripped by the warden and a caretaker after a used sanitary napkin was found discarded outside the bathroom of the Dr Hari Singh Gour University. This incident was reported from Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar City, and it came to the fore when one of the girls complained to the vice-chancellor. Like the recent incident, the warden ordered the body search to find out which girl was menstruating to find out who might be responsible for disposing of the sanitary napkin inappropriately, India Today reported.
The Logical Indian urges authorities to investigate the matter and take strict action against the teachers responsible for this outrageous gesture.
Also Read: Tamil Nadu: 12-Yr-Old Commits Suicide After Alleged Humiliation By Teacher For Menstrual Stains