Kochi: School officials booked for detaining students

Kochi: The police has registered a case against top officials of Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir at Cheppanam near Panangad in Ernakulam under Juvenile Justice Act Section 15 for detaining 45 students including UKG kids for hours in the library for non-payment of fees.

The incident took place on September 14 last year. Although the police submitted a charge sheet against them, including school administrator Rajagopal, principal Rajalakshmi and vice-principal Geetha Devi, in the first class judicial magistrate court on July 4, it arrested none.

The reason cited is that they were people living in high and respectable positions as teachers not involved in any other cases and they were cooperating with the investigation.

The Panangad police put the case on the backburner despite parents filing a complaint immediately after the incident.

They then approached the city police commissioner with a complaint, on October 20, and he directed the crime branch to probe, which submitted a report saying it has substance.

Based on the report, the commissioner directed the Panangad police to register an FIR and investigate.

The police again dragged their feet forcing parents to approach the DGP on April 4. The DGP then directed the district police chief to speed up the process, and that led to the filing of the charge sheet without recording their arrests.