Srinagar: Iqbal Memorial Institute (IMI) Bemina here has landed in trouble after the school authorities allegedly locked up some students in a classroom owing to “unavoidable delay” in depositing fee.
The chairman IMI confirmed that the issue came to his notice following saying he constituted a two-member committee to investigate the “unethical” incident.
A delegation of parents on Monday accused authorities of Iqbal Memorial Institute (IMI) here of allegedly locking up the students from class 9 and class 10 due to unavoidable delay in clearance of fee for past quarter.
A parent said his son, who is studying in class 10 in the school, was locked up in a room along with other students for whole day on Saturday and were not even allowed to have lunch.
“We couldn’t submit the fee of the last quarter of year since the entire Kashmir remained shut and remained locked up since July. The school authorities could have taken up the matter with parents but instead our children were locked for whole day,” alleged a parent requesting anonymity.
The parents’ delegation said following the issue they went to school to take up the issue with the authorities. “But instead of accepting their mistake the Principal of the school justified his unethical act against the students. He didn’t pay any heed to us but defended his action,” the parents said.
The parents said the school authorities instead of locking the students inside classroom should have written a note on school diary and asked parents to clear the dues.
“Locking the students inside classroom has put them in trauma. My son didn’t dare to go school next day saying that teachers lock the students inside the classroom,” said one of the parents.
The parents said the act by the school authorities was not only “unethical but a disgrace for them.” “It is an insult for us. Our kids were subjected to mental torture which is unbecoming on part of the institution,” the parents said.
Chairman IMI Srinagar, Dr Yousuf-ul-Umer confirmed the incident and said he received a report that Principal of the school had locked a group of three to four students for not clearing their fees.
“But I have constituted a committee to investigate the matter. The team will submit its report day after tomorrow,” Umer said.
He regretted the incident and termed the Principal’s action “unethical” and against the moral fabric of the institution.
“Principal has done wrong; it is a very serious thing. Principal should have not done this,” Chairman IMI said.
“The institution was not financially weak that the delay to clear the fee by a group of few students will provoke the administration to lock the students in classroom,” he added.