70 Girls Allegedly Stripped In UP School, For Menstrual Blood 'Check'

Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh: Specs of blood in a bathroom at a residential school in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar made the warden so furious that she allegedly forced some 70 girls to strip to check who was menstruating. The girls were allegedly also made to sit in the classroom naked.

According to a complaint filed by the parents of the students of Kasturba Gandhi Residential School, the girls were not just humiliated by the warden, she allegedly threatened worse if they disobeyed her, district education officer Chandrakesh Yadav has said.

The state government has ordered an investigation by a senior woman officer. The district administration has removed the warden and registered a police complaint against her.

"There was no teacher around. We were called downstairs (from the hostel). Madam made us to take off our clothes saying she will beat us if we did not. We are kids, what could we do? She would have beaten us had we not obeyed her," one of the students said.

The parents want the state government to punish the warden, who, they allege, "often hits the girls and blackmails them".

"She forced the girls to take off their clothes. How are we supposed to react? When I read about the incident in the paper, I asked my daughter and she told me the whole story.  She said that even she was made to remove her clothes and the teacher tortured them," said a distraught parent.

"We have taken prompt action. A five-member team has been formed. They are investigating the case. There is zero tolerance towards such acts," said Mr Yadav.

The warden has denied the allegations. "No one asked them to remove clothes. This is a conspiracy by the staff because they do not want me to stay here. I am strict, that is why they hate me," she said.

At least 35 students have left the facility. Many of them have come forward with similar allegations, Mr Yadav said.

(With inputs from agencies)