M.P. Birla suspends staffer amid protests

Kolkata: The authorities of M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School have reportedly suspended one of its staff on Monday after the students’ parents laid seige at the school on James Long Sarani in Behala since Monday morning in protest against the sexual assault of a three-and-half-year-old student.

Tension ran high in the evening when the police allegedly lathicharged the agitating guardians including the victim’s father when they aparently tried to stop a school bus from leaving the school. The parents alleged that the teachers were travelling in the bus and they wanted to stop it because they were demonstrating to keep the teachers confined at the school in protest. The victim’s mother alleged, “My husband was beaten among others. What fault have we done? We have been protesting here silently.” The police is yet to arrest any of the two accused. The staff who has been removed from duty is named Manoj, according to sources adding that the other accused is Ganesh.

In a statement the school authorities said, “So far as we are aware, the investigation by the police into the alleged incident involving the M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School has not come to any conclusion. However, today, after discussions with the police, a member of the service staff of the School has been suspended, pending inquiry/further investigation.

It added, “In September 2017, the School received a complaint from a parent about acts of sexual misconduct against their child and immediately took various actions in that regard. The complaint did not specify any individual or particular person. The safety and well-being of the students being the uppermost concern of the School, immediate investigations were initiated into the complaint by the School management. Meanwhile, the parents had also lodged a complaint with the local PS. The school has been thoroughly cooperating with the police in the investigations. Hours of CCTV footage were reviewed by the School and the police. Additionally, several members of the support staff and teachers were interrogated by the police. The school authorities had, on their own, conducted internal inquiries with the support staff and teachers.”

The statement said, “The M.P. Birla Foundation Higher Secondary School has a proud heritage of more than 28 years as a premier institution. Ensuring the safety and care of our children is enshrined in the core values of the institution as set by the founders. Although in all these years, there has never been any such incident reported, we have taken the complaint with utmost seriousness and have reiterated the need for constant vigilance, to prevent any untoward act or incident, to all support staff and teachers, reviewed internal control procedures for ensuring safety of the children and conducted counselling and communication sessions among teachers and the support staff to raise awareness on child safety.”

It added, “We are committed to ensuring that the small child gets justice. However, we also hope that no member of the staff of our School should be judged in the matter except according to law. We are confident that members of the staff are committed to the safety of the children. Anyone found wanting in this regard will be prosecuted as per law.”

On December 2 the victim’s parents came up with the crime on their daughter who even identified the two accused among a list of around 40 staff whose photos were shown to her by the police. According to them, the school authorities denied the incident of sexual abuse which was confirmed during medical examination at Vidyasagar Hospital.