Telangana Ekalavya school protest: Principal removed; probe ordered after videos go viral

A probe has been ordered against the warden and deputy warden of the Telangana State Ekalavya Model Residential School (TSEKMR) plus, the principal and an attender of the school have been removed from duty. This was following a protest by girl students on Sunday night, January 8, against the alleged supply of poor-quality food and harassment at Dumala in Yellareddypet Mandal. The video of the protest had gone viral on social media. On Monday, January 9, Satyavathi Rathod, Minister for Tribal and Women Welfare took a serious view of the incident and ordered a probe, stated a report by The New Indian Express. 

DS Venkanna, regional coordinator of Tribal Welfare School said that Principal Jyothi Laxmi and Vice-Principal R Rama Rao were removed from their positions and watchman B Ramaswamy, whom the students accused of consuming alcohol during duty hours and abusing a student, was also removed pending probe.

Protesting during a coldwave 
On Monday, January 9, about 40 students staged a protest on the road, in the bitter cold, alleging that earthworms were found in the food and that the principal and others were harassing them if they complained. They also alleged that the attender came to the hostel drunk and physically assaulted one of the girls, as reported by The New Indian Express. 

An officer on Special Duty cadre from Hyderabad is inquiring into the allegations against the hostel warden and deputy warden who allegedly told the students to throw away the earthworms and eat the food, based on a local official report. The regional coordinator told TNIE that based on the inquiry report, appropriate action would be taken against the two wardens.

The Minister for Tribal and Women Welfare has now directed the district officials concerned to address the grievance of hostel students on a war footing. She further said that the state-level officials concerned should make surprise inspections at residential welfare schools twice a month across the state, stated the report by The New Indian Express.