Trimmer died, boys left half-shaved. Then school went on a 4am shaving spree
Around 500 students at a government residential school in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district had their hair cut overnight after photographs of students with half-shaved heads went viral, triggering outrage and raising questions over their dignity, consent and safety.
The incident took place at the Jambhulghat Government Secondary and Higher Secondary Residential Ashram School, which has around 572 students enrolled from Classes 1 to 11.
According to details available, the haircuts began around 3 pm on Saturday after the school authorities decided to cut the students' hair over concerns about dandruff and scalp itching. However, the process was interrupted after the trimmer ran out of charge, leaving some students with partially shaved heads.
Photographs of the half-shaved students subsequently went viral on social media. Following this, the school authorities resumed the haircuts late at night and completed the process by early Sunday morning.
The hair-cutting resumed around 11 pm, when students were preparing to sleep or had already gone to bed, and continued until approximately 4 am on Sunday. Nearly 500 students went through the hair-cutting process.
The incident has sparked concern among students and anger among parents, with questions about who ordered the exercise, whether parents were informed, and whether students' consent was sought.
School superintendent Prashant Meshram said the decision was made with the students' well-being in mind and denied any improper intent.
Meshram said students' hair was generally cut every two months, but the school had not conducted the usual haircuts during the rainy season. With warmer weather setting in, he said, students were playing outdoors and not washing their hair regularly, increasing the risk of dandruff and itching.
According to him, the hair-cutting exercise began on Saturday, with a trimmer initially used on around 10 to 12 students. He said the students were given partial haircuts first so they would not wander away while the process was underway.
The exercise was later halted after the trimmer ran out of charge. The barber told the school authorities that the remaining haircuts would have to be completed later, Meshram said.
However, after photographs of students with half-shaved heads went viral, Meshram said he received a call from his office directing him to ensure that the students' hair was levelled immediately. This, he said, led to the haircuts being resumed at night and continuing until the early hours of Sunday.
Meshram maintained that the exercise was carried out for the students' benefit and that he had no improper motive.
His explanation, however, has not put the concerns surrounding the incident to rest. Questions remain over the decision to begin shaving the students' heads in stages, the overnight exercise and whether the students and their parents were consulted.QUESTIONS OVER CONSENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
The incident has brought the management of the residential school under scrutiny. Serious allegations have also been levelled against school superintendent P K Atram, with claims that pressure was exerted on the person cutting the students' hair to carry out the exercise.
India Today has not independently verified these allegations.
An enquiry would need to determine who authorised the haircuts, whether any instructions were issued by senior officials and whether the exercise was conducted with the knowledge of the students' parents.
Parents have demanded that senior officials from the state's Tribal Development Department visit the school and investigate the matter. They have also sought independent statements from the students, discussions with their parents and questioning of the staff and officials concerned.
They want the administration to establish whether the students' hair was cut without their wishes being taken into account or their parents being informed. If the allegations are substantiated, they have demanded that responsibility be fixed and appropriate action taken against those found accountable.advertisementPREVIOUS FOOD SAFETY CONCERNS RESURFACEThe latest controversy has also revived concerns over the school's management and monitoring systems.
The same residential school had earlier come under scrutiny following an incident in which students suffered food poisoning after eating stale food.
Social organisations had raised concerns about student safety and the arrangements at the institution at the time.- Ends
