The student community is shell-shocked after a girl student was allegedly stripped by a lady physical education teacher in Prince Venkateshwara College of Arts and Science, in suburban Gowriwakkam to check whether she carried a cell phone.
Some students, on condition of anonymity, said the college had harassed students on the pretext of maintaining discipline. “Our teachers used to check our bags periodically to find out whether we carried a cell phone and if we wore a T-shirt we are asked to go home. When this girl student was taken to rest room for checking we objected. Despite our objection she was stripped and checked,” one student said.
Another student said that when they questioned the teacher about her inhumane action, she said that it was the management that had asked her to do so.
However, students lodged a complaint with Madras university vice-chancellor Prof G.Thiruvasagam who said the
university had constituted a committee to inquire into the matter and report to the university before August 30 based on which they would initiate suitable action.
“It is not right on the part of the college do something like this. All students should be treated like our own children. We do not have any policy regarding the use of cell phones in colleges. When the situation is so I don’t know why the college acted in this way”, he said.
College authorities were not available for comment. Several students posted angry comments in an online discussion forum stating that severe action should be taken against the faculty.
Pankaj, one of the students who posted a comment online said this shameful act of the
teacher would spoil the image of teachers.
“Sack this person and black list him/her. He does not deserve to be called a teacher. Ask him to find some other profession,” the comment read.