Pune School Principal Assaulted By Bajrang Dal Men Over False Claim Of 'Inside Girls Washroom' Camera

The Talegaon MIDC Police in Pune, Maharashtra, has launched a probe into the incidents that led to a group of men, said to be from the right-wing group Bajrang Dal and some parents assaulting a school principal.

In a video that has since gone viral on social media, the principal of DY Patil High School, identified as Alexander, was seen with his shirt torn being chased by a mob of around thirty people chanting "Har Har Mahadev".

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What parents, Bajrang Dal alleged

The group had alleged that a prayer from the Bible used to get conducted in the school. They also alleged that CCTV cameras were installed in girls' washrooms.

Dipti Kharmale, a parent, said there were several complaints regarding the school staff, such as pressurizing students and 'asking students to move benches from one place to another.' "Whenever we raised the issue, the principal avoided us. Recently, when some of the parents, including me, went to school to raise some issues, we found a CCTV camera in the girls' washroom," she alleged.

Kharmale, in her complaint submitted to the Talegaon MIDC police station on Tuesday, also alleged that besides installing a CCTV camera in girls' washroom, a prayer from the Bible used to get conducted in the school, and students were not allowed to celebrate Hindu festivals.

DY Patil High School

If any parent raised these issues, the principal and other teachers harassed the student, she claimed.

If the school wanted to conduct prayers, it should conduct prayers from all religions, she said.

What police found

However, a police investigation following the attack on the principal found that the CCTV camera was not installed inside the washroom, as alleged by some parents and the Hindutva group.

A CCTV camera was installed on a wall above the wash basin in the common area.

According to the school authorities camera was installed about a month and a half ago to keep a watch on incidents of damaging mirrors, wash basins and electrical switches.

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CCTV camera already removed

The police also found that CCTV camera had already been removed, even before the assault on the principal.

Additionally, officials from the state education department who visited the school to investigate the allegations confirmed that the CCTV cameras have been removed.

While an FIR has been registered on the complaint filed by the parents, the school authorities have not taken any legal action even after the assault on the principal.

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