Kottarakkara (Kerala) : Protests continue over an incident in which a principal was prevented from entering her school for wearing a churidar. The school management has dismissed the security guard who stopped Principal Sindhu. The guard, Sasankan, who shut the school gate in front of Sindhu S Nair, Principal of Neduvathur Easwara Vilasam Higher Secondary School, and humiliated her without acknowledging her position, was dismissed by school manager K Suresh Kumar.

The manager said there had been no instruction to prevent anyone from entering the school for wearing a churidar and that the guard’s excessive conduct had brought disrepute to the institution and dragged it into controversy. Following the incident, the Deputy Director of Education issued a show-cause notice to the school manager based on a report submitted by the District Education Officer (DEO). Deputy Director of Education K I Lal said the notice sought an explanation within three days for interfering in academic matters in violation of the Kerala Education Rules and for the incident involving the headmistress.

Protests were held again on Thursday, with a march to the school led by the DYFI. Based on the principal’s complaint, Kottarakkara Police registered a case against the security guard, arrested him, and later released him on bail. The case was registered for preventing the headmistress from entering the school and for misbehaving with her.

DEO submits report

In connection with the incident at Easwara Vilasam School, the Kottarakkara District Education Officer, Amritha, submitted a report to the Deputy Director of Education. The report was prepared after recording the complaint and statement of Principal Sindhu S Nair. She stated that she was stopped by the security guard while arriving with provisions for the school’s mid-day meal and that objections to her wearing a churidar had been raised earlier as well.

She also said the manager had been warned about the issue two days earlier and that she had informed him that a government order permits teachers to wear churidar.

Women’s Commission takes suo motu case

The Kerala State Women’s Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident. Commission chairperson P Satheedevi directed the Kottarakkara District Education Officer to submit a report.