J-K: Teacher arrested for chopping hair of 7-year-old student in Pulwama

PULWAMA: A government school teacher here has been arrested for allegedly chopping the hair of a seven-year-old girl student, an official said on Friday. Abdul Rashid Kumar, who works at the Government Primary School, Tengpuna, has also been suspended by the school after the incident happened on Thursday, Pulwama Chief Education Officer Abdul Qayoom said. He said the administration took immediate notice of the incident and has acted upon it.

"We confirmed the incident and have suspended the teacher. Police have also arrested him. We do not want such people in our department. If there are any, they will get punished,” the official said. Qayoom said the teacher should not have cut the student’s hair and if needed, he could be terminated. “It is not the school's job to cut the hair of a student without permission of the student or the family. The teacher has committed a mistake and action will be taken. If there is a need, we will recommend him for termination,” Qayoom added.

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While the child did not wish to speak about the incident, her parents have slammed the high handedness of the teacher. Police have registered an FIR against the teacher under IPC sections 342 (wrongful confinement) and 354 (outraging woman’s modesty) and Section 75 (any person abuses, assaults a child he/she is in charge of) of the Juvenile Justice Act.