Hair scare case: 3 friends turn hostile

Shobana, a physical education teacher with Barathi Matriculation School here, has been sent to one month jail for cutting the hair of Class V student M Ha-riharasudha on March 3, 20-08. Hariharasudha had apparently gone to school spo-rting a single plait against its compulsory double-plait rule. The student had also told the teacher that her sinus problem prevented her from sporting a two plaits.

In spite of this, the teacher had slapped the girl several times and, in a cruel gesture, cut off a portion of her hair using a pair of scissors. The Class V girl was also made to kneel for several hours in front of her classmates and in the staff room.

When the incident was brought to light by the girl’s parents, it created much furore and an RDO enquiry was ordered by the collector. Based on a complaint by M Sumathi, the girl’s mother, Saibaba Colony police had filed a case against Shobana under IPC Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 342 (wrongful confinement). Even as the FIR mentioned that the teacher had cut off the student’s hair, the court did not consider the allegation as the police chargesheet failed to mention it.

In a twist, three classmates of the student, who were included as eyewitnesses in the case, turned hostile and told the court that the teacher did not beat up Hariharasudha. But the court relied on the testimony of the victim and observed that it was “cogent and inspires confidence.”