Outrage as Shahapur school forces students to undress for menstrual check

Principal, employee arrested after parents storm school, allege emotional trauma and violation of child rights

THANE: A school in Shahapur, in Thane district, is at the centre of public outrage after allegedly forcing students from Classes 5 to 10 to undress for a humiliating and deeply invasive menstrual check on Tuesday. The incident took place after bloodstains were found in the school’s bathroom. The principal and the employee who inspected the students were arrested on Wednesday.

Representative image (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

After the students returned home, shaken and frightened, enraged parents stormed the principal’s office on Wednesday, prompting local police to intervene, to calm raging tempers. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed against the principal, teachers and several staff members.

The incident, which has triggered condemnation from child rights activists and local residents as well, took place on Tuesday, between 10am and noon. According to a complaint filed by one of the parents, the principal allegedly summoned students from Classes 5 to 10 to the school’s main hall. There, she projected photographs of bloodstains found on the walls of the school’s changing room and the floor of the washroom. The principal and teachers then allegedly asked the girls whether they were menstruating, and instructed teachers to take a count of those who raised their hands.

Students who had not raised their hands were then allegedly taken to the washroom, where an employee, a helper identified as Nanda maushi (‘aunty’ in Marathi), instructed the girls to remove their underwear and proceeded to examine them, to check whether they were telling the truth.

The complainant alleged that the examination was carried out without medical supervision, parental consent or sensitivity—resulting in emotional trauma, embarrassment and humiliation for the students. It was also alleged that all the girls were subjected to fingerprinting and forced to give handprints, raising further concerns about violations of child rights.

Furious, parents confronted the school authorities on Wednesday, demanding immediate disciplinary and legal action against the principal and staff involved. Tensions escalated quickly, with the parents refusing to leave the campus until the principal was booked by the police.

One parent of a Class 7 student said, “My daughter came home shaking. She told me she was forced to take off her clothes in the washroom in front of other students. This is not discipline, it is mental harassment.”

Another parent, of a Class 6 student, shared, “My daughter was accused of lying about her period. These are small children. What kind of educator does this to a child? We send them to school to learn, not to be traumatised.”

In the FIR, police have named the school’s principal and four teachers. In addition, staff members Indira Palladia and Laxmi Devra, along with cleaning staff member Nanda maushi, have been booked.

The charges include Sections 74 and 76 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, as well as Sections 11, 12, and 29 of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. These sections deal with cruelty, abuse and sexual misconduct towards minors, and carry stringent legal consequences.

A senior Shahapur police officer said an investigation is underway, assuring parents that the case is being treated with the seriousness it deserves. “This is a serious violation of children’s rights and dignity. We have initiated a thorough investigation under the guidance of senior officers from the Thane Rural police and Shahapur Division,” he said.

The investigation is being conducted under the supervision of the Superintendent of Police, Thane Rural, and the Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Shahapur. Statements from students, parents and school authorities are being recorded.

A spokesperson for the school, said, “Although principal Madhuri Gaikwad has denied all the allegations, we have decided to terminate her from her position, given the seriousness of the incident and our responsibility as a reputed institution for the last 13 years. An inquiry is underway.”