UP: Two Hapur Teachers Booked for ‘Forcing’ Dalit Sisters to Remove Uniform, NCSC Takes Cognizance

Lucknow: The Hapur police on Tuesday registered a case against the two teachers of a government primary school for forcing two minor dalit girl students to remove their uniforms for a photo session and stand outside the classroom in front of other students on July 11

“Following complaint, an FIR has been registered against the two teachers under Sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 166 (public servant disobeying the law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation) of the IPC and under Section 3 (2) (v) (punishments for offences of atrocities) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and further investigation is underway,” Sarvesh Mishra, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Hapur told media.

NewsClick reported that on July 11, at a government primary school in Dahirpur of Hapur district, two girl students aged 8 and 9, both sisters, were allegedly asked by the teachers to remove their uniforms and give them to two other girls who were not in the school dress. When they refused to give their dresses, they were allegedly beaten by the teachers. Both girls were kept without clothes until the photo session ended, and then the uniforms were returned to them, Gautam, their father, had alleged.

The incident sparked controversy, and many human rights activists alleged that the Scheduled Caste (SC) students were being discriminated against at the government primary school in the state.

Gautam, the girls’ father, alleged the teachers discriminated against their daughters because of caste. “For a photo session, the duo teachers asked my daughter to remove her uniform and give it to another girl. When my daughter said she could not do that, they (teachers) beat her up and forcefully removed her uniform forcefully. They also forbid both my daughters to not share the incident with anyone. They were threatened that if they told their family members, they would be removed from school,” Gautam had told NewsClick.

The parents have alleged that despite being suspended, both the teachers have been coming to school. According to the teacher, however, the order required her to suspend her responsibilities as a teacher, but she was asked to go to the school as she was in charge of the school keys.

The student’s father was also reportedly ill-treated by the headmaster and the teacher when he visited the school to complain about the incident.

Meanwhile, when Gautam did not get any positive response from the school administration despite the complaint, he approached Ravikant, president of the Shoshit Kranti Dal, who raised the issue with the Basic Shiksha Adhikar (BSA), Hapur and the issue was highlighted.

Based on Ravikant’s complaint, the two teachers were suspended on July 13. According to Archana Gupta, Basic Shiksha Adhikari, and Hapur, the matter is being inquired into.

“The incident happened on July 11. Even after five days and complaints, no action was taken against the teachers until I raised this matter before BSA and district administration. This was a deliberate action by the teachers against the two girls because they belong to a Scheduled Caste,” Ravikant told NewsClick.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), Vijay Sampla, asked the Uttar Pradesh Police to send the Commission details of the action taken in the case.