Girls strip-searched in MP school after theft charge

INDORE: Two girls of a government school in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh were allegedly strip-searched by teachers on suspicion of stealing money from their classmate.
The Class XI students lodged a complaint with subdivisional magistrate Saket Malviya on Wednesday, naming two women teachers. Accompanied by their parents, they filed a complaint at Jobat police station as well, following which a probe was launched.
“We have received the complaint. Alirajpur district collector has also taken cognisance and asked the SDM to conduct an investigation. We are awaiting the probe results to proceed further,” Alirajpur SP Vipul Shrivastava told TOI.
SDM Malviya, who recorded the statements of the girls, said a student had complained to the school principal that someone had stolen her money. The two girls were accused of theft, taken to a room and asked to remove their clothes by two female teachers on January 8, the complaint says. “The girls feel very hurt and humiliated. They said that the other students were not subjected to a strip search,” Malviya said.
Teachers suspended after complaint
Sources say the teachers were suspended after a separate complaint was lodged with the DEO say sources. The SDM will take down their statements. Police officer Shankar Singh Jamra told TOI that the school’s in-charge principal, B P Patel, has filed a complaint against the girls’ families.