68 girls forced to strip in Kutch college's menstruation check

A controversy erupted in Bhuj town of Kutch district in Gujarat after reports surfaced that 68 girls of a college, run by a religious body, were allegedly stripped by the authorities who wanted to check their "menstrual blood." The girls have alleged that they were asked to parade in the college and were forced to remove their undergarments in the washroom one-by-one in front of four women teachers including by the principal.

The incident is said to have happened on Monday at Shri Sahajanand Girls' Institute and since then the girls started lodging their protest but the authority tried to silence them by threatening them that they will be expelled from the hostel.

Some of the girls told media persons on Thursday that "the college management, instead of taking action, threatened us that if we demand legal action against the erring teachers, we would be expelled from the hostel premises. For the past two-three days, we have been emotionally blackmailed by the authority who don't want us to take up this issue.”

Following the complaint, Kutch University officials reached the college and tried to pacify the students with promises that action will be taken. The college is affiliated to the varsity. The vice-chancellor has also formed a committee to investigate the case.

It is reported that the college administration forced the students to strip in order to check their menstrual status after a soiled sanitary pad was found in the campus garden on Monday. Sources said that since there are strict rules for menstruating girls, the hostel administration wanted to identify the girl who threw the pad.

The college, that offers BCom, BA and BSc courses, is run by a religious body. Local sources said that according to the norms, menstruating girls are barred from entering the kitchen and other places including the temple in the premises and they can't mingle with other students as well during the period.

The hostel warden informed the principal Rita Raninga about the incident, following which the latter asked the girls to assemble in the common area. Raninga is reported to have chided the girls and asked them about the soiled sanitary pad. It is said that two girls owned up to it and apologised. However, the principal went ahead and ordered the girls to line up outside the washroom. Each of the 68 girls were asked to then remove their undergarments in front of the four female teachers in the washroom.

"I came to see my daughter after learning what had happened to her in the hostel. Then, I met other girls also who went through the same trauma. I couldn't help but tell the media about it as it is absolutely wrong to treat our daughters in such a manner. I think the culprits should be dealt with stringent punishments. I am not saying that the rules should not be followed. We have no issues with the religious body and its rules but the teachers and principal must be punished for their inhuman behaviour," said father of the victims.