Tamil Nadu: Protests erupt over female students cleaning school toilets; Principal suspended

A Tamil Nadu principal has been suspended after images of female students cleaning school toilets went viral, sparking protests from parents and villagers.

A school principal in Tamil Nadu has been suspended following the circulation of images on social media showing female students cleaning school toilets. The incident occurred in Palakkodu village, located in Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri district. The school, which serves around 150 tribal students from Classes 1 to 8, became the focus of an investigation after the photos went viral.

The images depicted girls in school uniforms holding brooms and cleaning toilet facilities. The incident sparked protests outside the school, with parents and locals expressing outrage and calling for an inquiry.

Some parents of the students featured in the viral video filed a formal complaint with the school education department. They accused the headmistress of assigning children duties like cleaning toilets, sweeping the school premises, and fetching water.

Villagers took to the streets in protest over the incident, holding placards and shouting slogans. They called for immediate action against the headmistress, insisting that such tasks should never be imposed on students, especially young girls, in a school setting.

Following the incident, the Chief Education Officer (CEO) of Dharmapuri district initiated an investigation. The District Education Officer (DEO) confirmed the suspension of the headmistress and stated that a thorough inquiry would be carried out.