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Bengaluru teachers suspended for allegedly forcing students to clean toilets, police launch probe: Report
The incident, captured on video, led to a police complaint in Bengaluru and an investigation under the Juvenile Justice Act.
Two teachers from a government higher primary school in Bengaluru's Begur have been suspended following allegations that they made students clean school toilets, reported The Times of India. The incident, which took place in January, surfaced recently after videos and photos of children engaged in the task went viral.
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According to the report, headmistress Sakamma and physical training teacher Sumitramma were suspended as part of disciplinary action. Meanwhile, the Begur police have registered a case under the Juvenile Justice Act and are conducting an investigation into the matter.
How did the incident came into light?
The controversy came to light after Nagesh, a political party functionary and social worker from Seshadripuram, lodged a police complaint on March 29. He claimed that the two teachers instructed students to clean the toilets on January 16. His complaint was prompted by media reports, as regional news channels recently aired visuals of the incident.
According to a senior police official, the education department has initiated an internal probe. "We will be issuing a notice to the accused teachers for questioning. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation," he told the publication.
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The viral footage was initially captured by an autorickshaw driver whose child studies at the school. He recorded the students cleaning the toilet on his mobile phone and shared the video with other parents. However, it gained widespread attention only after circulating for nearly two months.
This is not the first instance of such an incident in Bengaluru. In a similar case, a video from a school in Andrahalli had earlier surfaced, showing students purportedly cleaning toilets. The footage sparked outrage among parents, leading them to stage a protest outside the school, demanding strict action against the administration. In response, the education department promptly suspended the headmistress.
Authorities have assured strict action against those responsible for forcing students into such activities, reinforcing that child labor and exploitation in educational institutions will not be tolerated.
