Ludhiana: School principal among 3 booked for ‘assaulting’ sacked teacher

The investigation will include verifying the caste-based derogatory remarks through available CCTV footage and witness testimonies, say police; Sections 126(2), 115(2) and 3(5) of the BNS have been slapped

The Sudhar police have registered a criminal case against a school managing committee chairman along with principal and a teacher for allegedly assaulting a former teacher and holding her captive in a classroom. The FIR has been registered following an investigation.

The complainant also alleges that she was sacked on September 22 “without prior notice”.

The accused have been identified as Bhupinder Singh Dhaliwal, chairman of the managing committee of GHG Public Senior Secondary School, Pakhowal, principal Manjit Kaur and teacher Rupinderjit Kaur. The police are investigating the allegations of caste-based derogatory remarks.

Sub-inspector Jaswinder Singh, station house officer (SHO) at the Sudhar police station, confirmed the registration of the case and stated that a hunt is on for the arrest of the accused.

The investigation will include verifying the caste-based derogatory remarks through available CCTV footage and witness testimonies. “Once confirmed, additional charges will be framed,” the SHO said.

Complainant Simranjit Kaur of Toosa village stated that she had joined the school on March 27, but her services were terminated on September 22 “without prior notice”. On being asked about the reason, the management and the principal stated that as she had got a tattoo inked on her hand, parents of students had objections, she said. “I was asked to confirm the same from parents at the parent-teacher meetings,” she said.

According to her, when she visited the school on December 24 to seek clarification regarding her termination, she was thrashed and confined to a residential room on the premises, assaulted for hours and subjected to humiliation. The entire incident was reportedly captured by CCTV cameras.

Daljit Kumar Gora, a state leader of the CITU, said, “Paying a meager salary of ₹3,500 and then dismissing an employee without notice is unacceptable. We demand strict legal action against the school management.”

The SHO added that an FIR under Sections 126(2), 115(2) and 3(5) of the BNS has been registered against the accused. More sections could be added to the FIR after investigation.