E-Paper
Ludhiana: Child rights panel seeks report into girl’s ‘harassment’ at pvt school
The reports stated that following the incident, the girl tried to end her life by jumping from the third floor of the school building
Taking suo moto cognisance of the alleged harassment of a 14-year-old girl student at a private school here, the Punjab State Child Rights Protection Commission on Sunday ordered immediate police action and sought a comprehensive report.
According to media reports, the alleged incident happened on September 15. The reports alleged that the administration of the school subjected the young girl to ‘humiliation’ by labelling her a ‘thief’ and writing the same word on her arms and forehead. The reports stated that following the incident, the girl tried to end her life by jumping from the third floor of the school building.
In the letter addressed to the commissioner of police, Ludhiana, chairman of the child rights panel Kanwardeep Singh asked the police for immediate action and sought a comprehensive report to be submitted to it by September 27, 2023, at 11:00 am. “The investigating officer handling the case, along with the girl’s father, is requested to be present before the commission during this crucial meeting,” the letter stated.
When contacted, SHO Daba, Kulvir Singh, said, “We have not received any such notice yet. But we will extend our cooperation to the commission for their further investigation.”
Despite repeated attempts, no one from the school management was available for comments.
The incident came to light during a protest held outside the school premises on Friday, where family members of the girl along with Congress leader Gurjeet Singh accused the school of harassing the young girl.
“After the incident, she felt humiliated and embarrassed, which drove her to climb to the terrace of the school and jump in an attempt to end her life,” Gurjeet said.
Protesters alleged that school authorities had pressured the victim’s family, preventing them from reporting the matter to the police. They said that the school even refused to cover the expenses for her treatment.
However, just a day after the protest, the family’s stance changed dramatically. The victim, along with her family, provided a statement to the police asserting that she had slipped from the terrace, which caused her injuries. She also denied being labeled a thief or having the word ‘thief’ written on her arm or forehead.
SHO Kulvir Singh, on Saturday had said, “The child has maintained that she accidentally fell from the third floor of the school. The parents have said that they do not want to proceed with the case as the school has taken responsibility for to cover expenses of her treatment.”
