Frisking at Pune HSC centre: Maharashtra minister orders probe

The alleged incident took place during the exams held between February 21 and 28 at the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) Pune’s Vishwashanti Gurukul

State education minister Vinod Tawde on Monday ordered a probe into the alleged frisking of Class 12 girl students at a school in Pune.

The alleged incident took place during the exams held between February 21 and 28 at the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) Pune’s Vishwashanti Gurukul (FILE)

The alleged incident took place during the exams held between February 21 and 28 at the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) Pune’s Vishwashanti Gurukul. The parents of the girls lodged a complaint against the school at Loni Kalbhor police station in Pune. In the complaint, the girls have alleged that they were asked to strip to ensure they were not carrying notes to cheat during the exams.

“It is not correct to search girls in this manner. The board doesn’t give such order. We are also planning to change the exam centre,” said Tawde, adding, “The centre’s chief and staff members have been transferred. A thorough inquiry will be conducted and the guilty will face action.”

Tawde said there are proper guidelines to check students for cheating.

Sena legislator Neelam Gorhe submitted a memorandum to Tawde demanding stern action against the administration of the MIT and said that around 25-30 girls complained that they were asked to remove their clothes in the name of preventing students from cheating in the examination.

The legislators from both the Houses of the state legislature raised the issue after the state legislature got adjourned for the day. BJP MLA Medha Kulkarni said, “It is a completely unacceptable behavior.”

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and NCP leader Ajit Pawar also demanded a thorough probe into the incident.

After the incident, the police had filed a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and under various sections of the IPC and against the two female guards involved.