Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The district administration sealed Radcliffe School on Thursday after massive protests erupted over the rape of a 3-year-old girl. The protests, led by parents and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), also included participants from Karni Sena, Sanskriti Bachao Manch, and students from Nutan College as well as several private institutions.
The protesters demanded the immediate cancellation of the school’s recognition and called for the death penalty for the accused teacher, Qasim Rihan Khan.
In the course of the demonstration, the protestors vandalized the school by breaking its display board and burning an effigy of the accused. Members of the Karni Sena and ABVP also attempted to enter the school premises but were stopped by police officers deployed at the scene.
TT Nagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Archana Rawat Sharma, addressed the protesters and assured them that a proposal to revoke the school’s recognition was being prepared. She said that the proposal would be sent to a committee, which would then oversee the process of revocation. She urged the protesters to end the demonstration, adding that a four-member investigation committee has already begun its inquiry and would submit a report to the administration within three days. The investigation will focus on the school’s security measures for students.
District Education
Officer NK Ahirwar told Free Press that the district administration had sealed the school and submitted the proposal for license revocation to the Collector, Kaushlendra Vikram Singh. Ahirwar further stated that the Joint Director of Education would ensure that the academic future of the students, who are already midway through the 2024-2025 session, would not be affected.
Parents raise concerns over safety
One parent whose child attends Radcliffe School told Free Press that they had previously reported incidents of inappropriate behavior by a teacher but received no response from the school administration. Another parent told that such incidents were not limited to girls but also affected boys, and despite informing the school principal, no action was taken. The parent added, “We thought the school would be secure, especially with many children of police officers studying here, but it has proven to be the exact opposite.”
School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh said that a high-level investigation into this heinous crime is underway. “We have formed a committee, and the government will leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety and protection of girls”, said Singh.
