In a distressing event at a government higher secondary school in Indore, the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued a notice to the state government following allegations that a teacher strip-searched students to locate a mobile phone. The incident, which has sparked outrage among parents and activists, occurred after a phone rang during class.
The court’s intervention came after Justices Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Duppala Venkata Ramana took cognizance of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by social activist Chinmoy Mishra. The PIL demands that the state government report back within a week on the measures taken regarding the alleged violation of student rights and potential breaches of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
During the court hearing, Mishra’s lawyer, Abhinav Dhanodkar, emphasized that despite parents filing a police complaint on August 2, the provisions of the POCSO Act had not been fully adhered to. The complaint was lodged against the accused teacher, who allegedly led at least five girl students to the washroom and conducted the strip-search.
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Following the incident, the accused teacher was removed from their teaching duties and reassigned to an administrative role with the district education office pending further investigation. The parents of the involved students have also accused the teacher of assault during the incident, adding to the gravity of the case.
