Panaji, Aug 18 (IANS): The Goa Education Department has issued a show cause notice to the management of higher secondary school in connection to an incident where pepper spray was used on 11 girl students.
On Thursday, the 11 girls from the school in Bicholim, North Goa, were hospitalised after two fellow students, both boys, used pepper spray on them.
Director of Education Shailesh Zingade told IANS that the management has been given three days’ time to reply to the notice.
“I am expecting a reply from them by today evening. I will go through the report they submit and then will decide about taking further action,” he said.
The notice says that "occurrences of such incidents in any educational institution is detrimental not only for the students but for the educational system as well".
"Therefore you are hereby directed to show cause as to why action deemed fit should not be initiated against the management for failing to prevent such incidents in the school premises."
The exact reason behind the boys using pepper spray is not clear yet, but sources said they did it for fun.
A senior police officer in Bicholim told IANS that the police have taken cognisance of the incident and has asked the school management to submit CCTV footage from the institute after their internal committee prepares a report.
“The students who used pepper spray are both minors. Hence, the internal committee of the school is conducting an inquiry into the incident. They will prepare a report and take action against the boys who sprayed pepper spray on the girls," the police said.
According to the police, the two boys who used pepper spray had purchased it from an online shopping platform.
“Around 11 girl students felt burning sensation and uneasiness and were rushed to the hospital. Some of them were discharged after treatment,” the officer said.
He added that a similar incident had taken place in the same school in the past and action was taken against two boys.
“The culprits in both the incidents are different. We are taking measures so that such cases are not repeated,” the officer said.