Jharkhand's legal services body takes suo motu cognizance of 'humiliation' of schoolgirls in Dhanbad

Dhanbad (Jharkhand): The Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority (JHALSA) has taken suo motu cognizance of the alleged humiliation of girl students by their school principal in Dhanbad district and directed the district legal services authority (DLSA) to investigate the matter, a lawyer said on Monday.

The principal was accused of ordering 80 girls of class 10 to remove their shirts for writing messages on them, prompting the administration to initiate an inquiry. The girls were allegedly forced to return home in their blazers without shirts, parents alleged.

Following JHALSA’s directive, principal district and sessions judge and Dhanbad DLSA chairman Virendra Kumar Tiwari formed a nine-member committee under the chairmanship of legal and defence council system (LDCS) chief Kumar Vimlendu.

DLSA secretary Rakesh Roshan said the committee has been directed to submit a report as soon as possible.

Committee members visited the school on Sunday and sealed the principal's chamber to ensure that CCTV footage was not tampered with, an official said.

Statements of the victims and guardians were also recorded, he said.

On Sunday, the Jharkhand Abhibhawak Mahasangh (JAM) filed a complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), accusing the principal of committing a "shameful act" and demanding action under the POCSO Act.

Meanwhile, the probe committee set up by the Dhanbad administration would visit the school on Monday in Digwahdih under Jorapokhar police station area, the official added.