Sisodia raids E Delhi school where classrooms were rented out by guard, 2 held

New Delhi

Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia said the school guard had been renting out classrooms at night and two people were found staying at the school illegally when the raid was conducted at 10pm.(Burhaan Kinu/ HT Photo)

Delhi’s education minister Manish Sisodia late on Thursday night announced in a series of tweets that two people had been arrested after a raid at an MCD school in Kalyanpuri.

Sisodia said that the school guard had been renting out classrooms at night and two people were found staying at the school illegally when the raid was conducted at 10pm.

“The classrooms, where kids come to study in the morning, are rented out at night to cook food. We also found fretsaws, hammers and other tools stored in a cupboard. Playing with the safety of kids by the schools will not be tolerated at any cost...Two people have been arrested during raids on children’s rooms (classrooms) of the MCD school in Kalyanpuri, Block 19,” said Sisodia in the series of tweets. He also shared videos from the raids.

Kuldeep Kumar, councillor from Kalyanpuri ward and an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member, said he had informed Sisodia about discrepancies in the school after parents approached him with complaints. The raid was conducted, after informing the police.

“We found that people were staying in 3-4 rooms. The cupboards for storing books and study materials, were stacked with tools and clothes of the tenants,” said Kumar, who reportedly accompanied Sisodia during the raid.

Jawant Singh, a parent who lives close to the school said that people were often spotted leaving the school early in morning to avoid suspicion.

“I live in the next lane and while crossing the school early in the morning I had noticed two people leaving the place, almost every day. This caught my suspicion and I reported the matter to the local councillor,” he said.

Singh said the guard who had been letting out the classrooms on rent was not arrested, but two people found living in the school premises were.The guard allegedly said that he had started renting out the rooms because he was not paid enough. “The guard claimed that he is paid for eight hours even though we was working almost 24 hours, daily,” wrote Sisodia on Twitter.

Anil Kumar, assistant director of education at East Delhi Municipal Corporation, said they have taken action against those responsible. “We have terminated the services of the guard. The principal has been transferred and issued a showcause notice. The supervisory staff too have been issued showcause notices,” he said.