Thane: School officials, teachers sacked for negligence

Representation Pic

The services of the principal, headmistress and three teachers of a well-known international school in Thane were terminated on Thursday after parents staged a protest outside the school premises over allegations of sexual assault by a bus cleaner. The school has organised a day picnic on Tuesday through a third-party service provider for girls studying in Std 2 and eight of them had complained of sexual harassment.

After the incident came to light, parents gathered at the school premises, demanding the suspension of the management staff, including the principal and teachers of the school. The parents claim that the school had organised a picnic through a third party without their consent.

Following the protests, the school trustees set up an internal inquiry committee and the services of those found guilty of negligence were terminated. However, the parents protested till late afternoon, demanding action against the trustees. The parents say they will meet the education minister and ask for action against the school management.

The complainant - the mother of a 7-year-old girl who filed a case at Kapurbawadi police station - said, "We have sought an appointment with the education minister and will demand action against the management. They have terminated the services of the principal, and teachers, but we are demanding action against the management which also needs to be held responsible," she said.

Meanwhile, the protest on Thursday found political support. BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar from Thane visited the school and met the trustees. "The trustees have assured that they have initiated an inquiry and action has been taken accordingly. This was a serious incident and the crime cannot be neglected," he said.

The Kapurbawadi police registered a case against the bus cleaner - Goregaon resident Javed Mohammed Khan, 27 - in the wee hours of Wednesday and arrested him. The incident occurred on the bus when the kids were returning to Thane after a school-organised picnic at Kidzania, Ghatkopar on February 20.

According to the police, there was a group of 40 students on the bus, all in the age group of 7 to 8 years. The girls claimed that on the pretext of giving sweets and food, the bus attendant had sexually assaulted them. As per the complaint, three teachers were sitting in the front seat and also a female attendant who was sleeping at the front of the bus when the incident took place.

8
No of girls who complained of assault