Delhi Horror: 16 girls locked up in basement for five hours over non-payment of fees, school booked for cruelty

— By FPJ Web Desk | Jul 11, 2018 12:12 pm

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New Delhi: The administration of a private school in Delhi has been booked for cruelty on students. The management of Rabea Girls Public School in Chandni Chowk area of Delhi allegedly locked up sixteen girls in a basement room over delay in their payment of school fees. The girls were locked up for about five hours and were rescued by their parents.

Police informed that they received a call from parents who said that their children were wrongfully confined in the school basement. Parents also informed that the girls were made to sit on the floor under hot and humid conditions. The room also did not have a ventilation, alleged parents.

“When I went to school to pick up my child, we were told by the teachers that the students are in the basement. When we asked why, they told us that they have been confined over non-payment of fees. We rushed to the basement and rescued the children. There was no ventilation in the room and my child was crying,” said Fatima Begun, parent of a student, to The Hindu.


“I dropped my daughter off at school around 7 a.m. When I came to pick her up at 12.30 p.m., I did not find her in her class room. I was informed by the school staff that my daughter has been locked up in the basement. I rushed to the basement where I found my daughter sitting on the floor. All children were confined in a small room under inhumane conditions with no fans and ventilation,” said Mohammad Asif, another parent said.

According to parents, the fees were paid on time and school administration refused to accept that. Parents claimed that they also showed the receipt of deposited fees, but school administration did not admit their mistakes. Acting on the matter, Police have booked a case under illegal confinement and cruelty to child. An inquiry has also been initiated by Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) and an investigation team has been set up to look over the matter.

“The allegations against the school management will be investigated. A case under IPC Section 342 and under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, has been registered at the Hauz Qazi police station,” said Mandeep Singh Randhawa, DCP (Central).

Responding on the matter, a senior teacher of the school said that it was not a basement room but an activity room where students play. The teacher also said that the last date for submission of fees is 30th of every month, and if the fees is not submitted on time the student is not allowed to attend the classes.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought a report over a matter.