Girls were beaten!
A government school teacher has been suspended and charged for allegedly beating up two girl students in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. The teacher has been accused of assaulting children for wearing religious symbols, tilak and hijab.
The class 4 students, one was wearing a tilak on her forehead and another wearing a headscarf were allegedly beaten up by a school teacher Nisar Ahmad at the Government Middle School Khadurian Panchyat Dramman.
Police said the teacher has been detained but so far no communal angle for beating the children has been established.
The parents of the two girls, a Hindu and a Muslim have jointly recorded a video. It was widely circulated on social media. Based on the video, the district administration of Rajouri has ordered an inquiry against the school teacher and placed him under suspension.
The Additional District Magistrate Kotranka, Rajouri will hold an inquiry to find out "whether it's true that children were beaten; and the specific reasons for beating", said an order issued by the District Magistrate of Rajouri.
The controversy started after it was alleged that a Hindu girl was beaten up for applying tilak on her forehead.
"The way my daughter was beaten or Shakoor's daughter (the other girl student) was beaten, tomorrow another teacher can beat a child for wearing a tika or niqab. I appeal to the administration and civil society that there should be an inquiry," said Angrez Singh, father of the child.
While demanding justice, Mr. Singh referred to the raging hijab controversy in several other states and said the people will not allow Jammu and Kashmir to land in a similar situation.
"I want justice. Today my daughter was beaten for wearing tilak. Tomorrow, someone else will come and say why you wear a niqab. It's an attempt to disturb communal harmony. We will not allow this place to become UP, Bihar or Karnataka" he said.
Mohammad Shakoor, the father of the Muslim girl, alleges that the teacher beat up his daughter mercilessly.
"My daughter was beaten up ruthlessly. She was punched and kicked by the teacher," he said.
According to the order issued by the administration, the teacher can be charged with hurting a child which amounts to a crime and can make a person liable for punishment under "sections 323, 325, 352 & 506 of IPC; Whereas, section 23 of the JJ ACT, 2000 states that whoever having charge of the child assaults a child, is punishable with imprisonment which may extend to six months or fine or both".
The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now.