Parents lay siege to school in Tiruchengode

Namakkal: Enraged over alleged sexual harassment of girl students by some teachers of a government-aided school here, parents and kin of the affected children, besides members of the public, laid siege of the school situated on the foothills of Tiruchengode hills on Monday, until School Education department and police authorities intervened.

The agitated parents said that at least five girl students of class eight of the school were being subjected to sexual harassment with one of the male teachers resorting to voyeuristic acts at the girls' toilets, shutting them inside the toilets, abusing them verbally and even touching them at “inappropriate places”.

Another women teacher of the same school was also allegedly abusing the girl students verbally, ordering them to buy food for them (teachers) from outside and even asking the poor students to wash their dish plates after a meal, the harried parents told reporters in explaining why they laid siege to the school today. They were driven to this extreme step as complaints to the school authorities on the behavior of the two teachers were of no avail so far.

As members of the public also joined in the siege of the school in large numbers, school officials and district education officials besides police rushed to the place and pacified the agitated parents. They also held enquiries with the five girl students who were allegedly harassed by their teachers. The officials assured that after a full-fledged inquiry, action will be taken against the teachers if found guilty. However, from the teachers' side, it was mentioned before the officials that the complaints against the two teachers were “false” and it came after one of the teachers had chided a girl student who had “fallen in love with somebody”. Further probe is on.