Headmistress who made SC students clean school toilets, arrested in Erode district

ERODE

The headmistress of a Panchayat Union Primary School at Palakkarai in Perundurai block, Erode district, was, on Saturday, arrested for making six students belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community clean school toilets.

Recently, parents of these children had found blisters on their hands, and one of them contracted dengue and was admitted to the hospital. The boy, studying in class V told his mother that the Headmistress of the school, Geetha Rani, had asked a few students to clean two toilets -- one meant for students and another for teachers -- using bleaching powder every day. After the boy was discharged from the hospital, his mother lodged a complaint with the Perundurai police.

Three Block Educational Officers (BEOs) conducted inquiries with students, parents, and noon meal staff and a report was submitted to the District Education Officer, Jothi Chandra. The report found the complaints to be true and the headmistress was placed under suspension on November 30. The police also registered a case under Section 284 (negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and Sections 3(1)( r) and 3(1) (j) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 1989 against the headmistress, and a search was on to trace her.

On Saturday morning, the police arrested her in Perundurai and took her to the police station.