Shocking: Kids late to school told to stand naked in Tirupati

Tirupati: In a shocking incident, six school children between the ages of 9 and 10 years were made to stand naked outside the classroom because they were late for school and had not completed their homework.

Acting on the complaint lodged by mandal education officer Leela Vathi at the Punganur police station, the cops registered a case against Bhuvaneswari and Naidu, and sent them to remand, said sub-inspector Arun Kumar Reddy.

Honorary president of Balala Hakkula Sangham Achyuta Rao had earlier brought the matter to the notice of the chairperson of the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, New Delhi. He wanted the commission to issue an order to initiate action under the POCSO (Protection of Childre n from Sexual Offences) Act.

Chittoor district educational officer K. Panduranga Swamy told Deccan Chronicle: “It came to our notice that on Tuesday the school teacher punished some of the students of classes III and IV by letting them stand outside in the sun with bare bodies because they were late and had not done their homework. We immediately pressed the MEO to lodge a complaint at the local police station and ordered a thorough probe in the matter. We won’t tolerate such inhumanity against the children and hence we have withdrawn recognition of the school and will take severe action against the school management.”

Minister for industries N. Amarnath Reddy has also instructed the district collector to withdraw recognition to the school.

Under the collector’s direction, the DEO further released a statement, which reads: “As a result of the negligent behaviour of the management, the boys left with bare bodies and this is a serious lapse on the part of the management which cannot be excused and thus attracted the provisions of Rules in GO Ms No. 1, dated 01.01.1994 and Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, 1988. Whereas, the school management behaved with total negligence in maintaining the safety of students and violated the provisions of rules governing the recognition of the private educational institutes and AP Education Act, 1994. Keeping in view of instructions of the HRD minister, we have withdrawn the permission and recognition granted to the school.’