Teachers held, released on bail

Two teachers of a school in Dadar, who allegedly accorded corporal punishment to two five-year-old students, were arrested on Monday and immediately released on bail by the Bhoiwada court.

Teacher Cinderella Pereira, 23, and vice-headmistress Carol Pereira, 50, allegedly made the class I students clean the school toilet. The parents of one of the boys approached the police on Thursday. The school refuted the allegation.
Investigation officer Sunil Pawar of Shivaji Park police station said the teachers were granted bail on sureties of Rs6,000 each.

The city’s municipal corporation, which controls primary education, on Monday deputed an administrative officer to conduct an inquiry into the matter. The findings had not been submitted until late Monday , said civic education officer RR Bhise. With the state legislature in session, sources said there was immense pressure on the civic education department to complete the inquiry.

School trustee Leela D’Souza said that they had suspended the teachers due to pressure but the school was yet to institute an internal inquiry.

Meanwhile, the two children attended school on Monday even as agitated parents thronged the campus to speak to school authorities who declined the request. Pushpa Gandhi, who filed an offence against the teachers, said the humiliating punishment meted out to her son was not accorded even to prisoners. “Such mental harassment to children is uncalled for. I will fight till my child gets justice,” she said.