Chukha dzongkhag education office will register a case against the warden of Pakshikha Central School (PCS) who is alleged of battering two class 10 students.

The case, which was initially registered with the Gedu police, was withdrawn after the parents of the students and teacher involved resolved it mutually.

The incident occurred on the evening of May 1, where the warden allegedly battered two students with a wooden plank. A bent nail on the plank injured the two students.

School authorities said that the warden, after finding the two students in a friend’s room, hit them with a plank that was lying in the room. “One of the students was hit on the cheeks and the other on head,” A school official said. Both the students had to undergo stitches.

The official, who did not want to be named, also said the warden had warned the students not to visit their friends’ room in order to prevent theft and other disciplinary issues.

School authorities took the students to hospital and they were discharged from the hospital the same night.

The parents of the students reported the matter to Gedu police and the case was registered. “But since the parents and warden compromised, the case was withdrawn,” a source said. “The warden paid Nu 55,000 to the parents of the boy who underwent stitches.”

But the case was re-registered after the education ministry asked the dzongkhag to intervene.

Chukha dzongkhag education officer (DEO), Kinley Wangchuk, said they will register the case today so that police could conduct a thorough investigation. “Based on police report, the dzongkhag administration will take action.”

The education officer said that they have been directed to investigate the case. “Appropriate action would be taken if the warden is found guilty.”

Meanwhile, the education minister, Norbu Wangchuk, on his Facebook page, said that the ministry is deeply disturbed by the incident.

The minister said it was a gross violation of the school regulations and a serious betrayal of ethical conduct required of a school authority such as the warden.

Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk also posted that the Prime Minister is seriously concerned about the incident and had called for a thorough investigation into the incident by the police.

“At the instruction of the Prime Minster, the Chukha police had been asked to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the case,” the minister’s Facebook post stated.

It was learnt that the warden joined the school two months ago. He was deputed to the school in the government initiative of deputing wardens and matrons in schools.

Chukha DEO said that the warden was given orientation on code of conducts before he was deputed to the school.

School authorities also claimed that they provided orientation to the warden.

Rajesh Rai | Phuentsholing

Advertisement