Manur police have registered a case against Ponrani (56), the caste Hindu headmistress of a panchayat union primary school, who allegedly instructed a Class III Scheduled Castes (SC) student to manually remove a stone causing a blockage in the school toilet, reports The New Indian Express.

"The victim, hailing from Manur, is studying in a local government panchayat union primary school. On December 8, a stone was found inside the school toilet, which led to its blocking. Hearing this, Ponrani allegedly asked the victim to remove it from the toilet telling him that he can do it as the people of his community do such work," sources revealed to TNIE.

Even though the boy denied it, he was allegedly forced to remove the stone with his hand. "The victim informed this matter to his parents who sought an explanation from the headmistress for her act. Ponrani allegedly replied that she asked the victim to do so as it was he who dropped the stone in the toilet. The parents subsequently filed a complaint with the police," the sources continued.

The Manur police registered a case against Ponrani under the Sections of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocity) Act and The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act on December 9. "The boy was allegedly asked to remove the stone that he put in the toilet," added Superintendent of Police N Silambarasan when contacted by TNIE, confirming that the investigation was ongoing.