In a surprising incident, a private school in Hyderabad, allegedly confined 19 students in a room on its premises for over one hour after their parents failed to pay school fee on time. The incident took place on March 19, said the police today.
“The school management also tried to prevent the students from appearing for their annual exam and the confined include students from Class I,” said a police official.
The school management confined the students and were not allowing them to write the exams, stating that their parents had delayed fee payment. After police intervened, the students were released and allowed to appear for exams, added.
The atrocity was discovered after a parent informed the police, activists, and media about the confinement at Saritha Vidya niketan, Hayathnagar.
In the police complaint given by a parent, he said, “I have two children studying in Class 9 and class 7. I already paid Rs 20,000 to school. They say money is still pending and they locked my kids along with others. I want strictest action against the school for humiliating my kids and confining them illegally.”
A case has been registered under section 342 and section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act against the school management, the Hyderabad Police said.
Child right activists in Hyderabad have also taken cognizance of the incident and are reportedly demanding strict actions against the authorities. “The detained students failed to pay the fees for this month and for this they were locked up in a room and not allowed to write exams. It is a serious violation of their rights and action must be taken against the school,” said an activist.
