'Srtip searching': Women commission seeks report from police

Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) has sought a report from Pune rural police in the alleged incident of "strip-searching" of two girl students by two women guards at a school near here to deter copying during HSC examination.
"Taking cognisance of the case, we have written to the Pune rural police seeking a report about the incident," said MSCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar.
She said the incident needs to be probed properly.
The alleged incident, which occurred during the exams held between February 21-28 at the Gurukul School of the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT), had caused an outrage among parents.

Following the incident, police had filed a case under various sections of the IPC and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) against the two guards.
Meanwhile, MIT management today announced that they will not host SSC and HSC exams at their school anymore.

The MIT claimed the case filed against the school management was "false and bogus".
Swati Karad, Executive Director, MIT Group of Institutions, said the allegations made by one of the girls and her family members lacked substance.
She said the charges are an attempt to malign the image of the institution.
"Whatever actions being taken by the MIT staff were taken within the framework of the Board guidelines and there was no inappropriate behaviour by the institution and the staff," she said.

A Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education official yesterday denied that the two girls were subjected to "strip searching" by the guards.
Karad said the Board was informed on February 28 about chits being confiscated from the students.
"When the students were not allowed to copy, few parents resorted to abusing and also gave life threats to the principal and staff of the college," she said.