E-Paper
‘Student molested’: Alleging inaction, Ludhiana parents’ union garland DEO with slippers
Members of the Ludhiana parents’ association met the DEO (secondary) on the pretext of honouring him but garlanded him with slippers, accusing him of not taking action against a physical training teacher who allegedly molested a student
Ludhiana Accusing the district education officer of not taking action against a physical training teacher who allegedly molested a student, the Ludhiana Parents Association garlanded Lakhvir Singh Samra with slippers at his office on Friday.
Members of the parents’ association met the DEO (secondary) on the pretext of honouring him. Initially, Samra refused to accept any garland, but after the union members insisted, he agreed. It was only when he began removing the garland, did he notice the slippers strung to it.
The case
A probe was launched against the PT teacher by deputy DEO, secondary, Charanjit Singh, on December 22, after a member of the parents’ union, Rajinder Ghai, filed a complaint with the chief minister’s office.
Ghai, who was involved in garlanding the DEO with slippers, said, “It has been 10 days since the inquiry was initiated. The DEO is trying to save the teacher, which is unacceptable. The teacher has been transferred to a boy’s school which is not a punishment.”
The DEO, on realising the indignity meted out to him, confronted Ghai and told him that an inquiry report had already been submitted to senior officials for action. He has also lodged a police complaint against Ghai.
Notably, the victim’s parents are not interested in probing the matter further as the teacher has apologised before a local panchayat.
Teachers’ union condemns act
The parents’ association actions have been condemned by different teachers’ unions. Backing the DEO, teachers’ union leader Sukhdarshan Singh said, “It is shameful that an honest and humble officer has been mistreated in this manner. We had lots of disagreements with the DEO, but we respect him as an officer”.
Democratic Teachers Front district president Hardev Singh Mullapur has also demanded an FIR against Ghai.
A senior official, requesting anonymity, said the DEO had been targeted due to power politics in the department.
A senior official, requesting anonymity, said the DEO had been targeted due to power politics in the department. “These are blackmailing tactics, which are not acceptable. It is part of a campaign to taint the officer’s reputation,” he said.
