UP school girls forced to strip: 12 staffers dismissed

The district administration has dismissed 12 staffers of a residential school where 70 girls were allegedly forced to strip by the principal who wanted "to check if they were menstruating", an official said.

The school's 'sardana' (principal-cum-warden) was dismissed soon after the March 29 incident in Khatoli, Basic Shiksha Adhikari Chander Prakash Yadav said here.

"The other 12 staffers, including seven teachers and an accountant, were dismissed yesterday. They were found responsible in an inquiry into the forced stripping of the girls to check if they were menstruating ," he said.

The inquiry was conducted by a magistrate, the education officer said.

The students' parents in a complaint had alleged that the residential school's principal had forced their wards to strip and also threatened them with "consequences" if they disobeyed her, a senior district official said.

Many students had also come forward with allegations of harassment against the principal, Yadav said.