Students made to kneel down during prayer class in Odisha school

Baripada: A Class IX student of MKC High School of Mayurbhanj district was allegedly mentally harassed after being asked to kneel down as punishment during prayer class today. Mother of the student, Sumit Kumar Sahu, and member of the School Management Committee, Sasmita Behera accused the school headmistress of keeling her son intentionally. She lodged a complaint at the Baripada Town police station against the headmistress.

Sasmita said the headmistress, Pragyan Paramita Jena gave sarcastic remark about the hairstyle of Sumit and punished him in front of others students and school teachers. Demanding action against the headmistress Sasmita further said though the State government declared schools as punishment-free zone, the act of headmistress caused mental strain on his son. “Sumit was unable to write his answer sheet during English examination following the incident. Even he told me about taking the extreme step,” she further said.

Refuting the charges, the headmistress said Jagajeeban Sahu and Sasmit Behera are a couple and hid the same information from the school management committee. However, after members of the management committee came to know about this piece of information, they dismiss Jagajeeban as committee member. His wife, Sasmita somehow managed to retain her post as member of the committee.

The headmistress added the couple is trying to defame the school by levelling false allegations on different occasions. Defending her action, the headmistress said to discipline Sumit she asked him to kneel down. Four other students were also punished for violating the school discipline, she said adding that later the students were counseled.

“I had no intention to physically or mentally harass any student,” the headmistress said.