Afraid to continue working at school, says headmistress who was 'denied entry' based on dress

Kollam: The headmistress of an aided school here, who was "denied entry" into the institution two days ago for wearing a churidar, on Friday said that she was "afraid to continue working there" as no action has been taken against the manager who was allegedly behind the incident.

The headmistress, Sindhu S Nair, told a TV channel here that lodging a case against the security guard, a temporary employee, and arresting him was done "to create a smokescreen".

"Shashank, the security guard, was appointed by the manager and was not our permanent staff. By arresting him, a smokescreen has been created. Even he said that he had acted on the manager's instructions. But, the manager has not been made an accused," she said.

She said that she suspects that the management was trying to settle the matter.

She also claimed that she was "afraid to continue working at the school in the current circumstances".

Nair also contended that she was denied entry when she had come to work and therefore, a case for obstructing her official duty should have been registered as it was a government-aided school.

She also said that she will continue her legal fight against what happened to her.

When the headmistress had arrived at the school at around 9 am on Wednesday, the security staff stopped her from entering on the directions of the school manager, an official from the District Education Office (DEO) said.

She later called the police and was allowed into the school only after officers from the Kottarakara police station arrived.

Visuals broadcast on TV channels showed the headmistress sitting outside the school gate with a tray of eggs she had brought for the mid-day meals provided to students.

The manager has not yet commented on the incident.

Both the police and DEO officials had said that the school manager has no authority to prevent the headmistress from entering the school.

A DEO official had also said that there was a government order that permits the wearing of churidars, a tight-fitting trouser extending below the leg, in schools.