Maharashtra orders probe into alleged strip search incident at Pune school

Even as the administration of a noted Pune school denied allegations that its staff had strip-searched several female students on suspicion of copying during the ongoing HSC exams, State Education Minister Vinod Tawde on Monday ordered a thorough probe into the incident.

The Education Minister met with Pune legislators Neelam Gorhe (Shiv Sena) and Medha Kulkarni (Bharatiya Janata Party), both of whom submitted memorandums demanding stern action against the administration of the Maharashtra Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Vishwashanti Gurukul in Pune’s Loni Kalbhor area, an HSC exam centre where the incident reportedly occurred.

“Safeguarding the modesty of our students is always a priority… the culprits behind the appalling incident at MIT, Loni centre will be dealt with the strictest of force by the law,” Mr. Tawde tweeted.

The school, run by the MIT educational establishment, is in the eye of a storm following complaints from several students last week who alleged that the female security staff forced them to remove their clothes in washrooms to make sure they were not carrying chits or notes which could be used for copying during exams.

Earlier in the day, members of the Sambhaji Brigade met with the Deputy Director of Education and demanded that the licence of MIT Vishwashanti Gurukul be revoked.

“This sort of overzealous vigilance is shocking… several students were reportedly strip-searched in this manner on suspicion of cheating. This not only resulted in loss of valuable time during the exams, but also caused them unimaginable trauma,” said Santosh Shinde of the Sambhaji Brigade.