Phulbani: The Headmaster of Mahasinghi Nodal Upper Primary school under K. Nuagaon block of Kandhamal district was suspended Friday after he meted out corporal punishment to three girl students of Class VII as they refused to sweep and swab the school building.
The three students were rushed to Baliguda sub-divisional hospital with severe injuries inflicted by a cane.
As per the parents’ complaint, the girls-Shradhanjali Behera, Rachana Pradhan and Asmita Nayak — had gone to school under Baliguda police limits as usual. They put their bags in their classrooms and were heading for the assembly when Sahoo called them and asked them to clean the school.
However, when the girls refused, Sahoo allegedly took a cane and thrashed them mercilessly before other students. The students fainted on the spot. On being informed, family members reached the school.
After being informed, the block education officer (BEO), Pramod Kumar Mallick, conducted a probe and immediately suspended the Headmaster.
Sahoo was absconding.
The BEO, additional block education officer Nageswar Pradhan and CRCC Sanjay Kumar Behera arrived at the school and pacified the guardians. The agitators relented after the BEO suspended Sahoo.
When contacted, BEO, Mallick termed the incident a serious one.
“A probe has been ordered and it is true that the HM has seriously beaten the girls. We have suspended him and further action will be taken after the report is submitted to the DEO,” he said.
PNN
