Two Dalit girl children of studying in class 9 had consumed toilet cleaning chemical on 15 February 2023 attempting to end their lives aover alleged discrimination by their teacher from dominant Chettiar caste.
The incident happened at a government aided school in Chinnalampatti in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu.
According to sources, the girl’s father M Parthipan made the complaint with Periyanaickenpalayam police on Thursday (16 February 2023) seeking action against the headmistress under SC, ST (Prevention of atrocities) Act.
“On February 11, after returning from school, my daughter was seen disturbed. She refused to go to school the next day. When we enquired the reason, she said that she was made to clean the toilet in the school by Headmistress Kumareshwari citing her caste,” he said.
Following a complaint from the mother of one of the girls, Chinnalapatti police registered a case. The complainant said Maths teacher Premalatha abused the two girls by their caste name in front of other students on multiple occasions. Unable to bear the humiliation, the girls went to the school toilet and consumed toilet cleaner two days ago.
The teacher has been using caste slurs on the Arundhathiyar community girl for a long time. They were called “dirty, stinking” and were asked not to come to school by the teacher as the teacher was irritated by their castes.
A case has been booked but the teacher still not arrested. Police say that the teacher is absconding, according to reports.
On Friday (18 Febraury 2023), the school administration issued an order to dismiss the accused mathematics teacher Premalatha from the school.
Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.