16 Delhi kindergarten girls 'confined' in basement for not paying fee
The parents said that it was inhumane on the part of the school administration which punished students so brutally.
New Delhi: Agitated parents of around 16 school girls from kindergarten who were allegedly locked up inside the basement of a Delhi school for not clearing their fees, on Tuesday cried foul.
Demanding punishment for the school administration, the parents of the students from an all-girls school in Hauz Qazi allege that children were confined in the basement from 7:30 am to about 12:30 pm even as the temperature touched 40 degree Celsius. They were hungry and thirsty, but teachers didn't care, they alleged.
They claimed that when they reached the school at 12:30 pm to pick up their children, they were told that the children were locked in the basement.
Zia-Ud-Din, one of the parents, said, "Children were locked in the basement for non-clearance of fees. Yesterday (Monday) children were not in the classroom and were confined in the basement. I had cleared the fees, despite that my child was punished. The children were thirsty and were suffering in the heat. Police helped us. Even after I showed the proof of fees clearance, the Principal was not apologetic or remorseful."
Another parent, Muhammad Khalid, said, "If fees are not cleared, why are you punishing the kids? The girls were crying constantly. We want the school authorities to not be inhumane."
Ubaid Khan said, "I cleared the fees for the entire month, despite of that my niece was punished so brutally."
A case has been registered against the school authorities, the police said.
"We have registered a case under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act. We are investigating the matter," police told news agency ANI.