CHANDRAPUR: A bizarre haircut session at a government ashram school in Chandrapur left 82 students with partially shaved heads after a superintendent allegedly asked a barber to shave their hair halfway so they would not leave the queue to play.The incident took place on Saturday at the Govt Secondary and Higher Secondary Ashram School at Jambhulghat in Chimur taluka. According to a preliminary report by the Tribal Development Department, superintendent PK Atram instructed the barber to partially shave the students’ heads first, with the remaining hair to be cut when their turns came.The idea, officials said, was to ensure that students did not leave midway after getting their haircuts and go out to play.But the situation took an unusual turn when the trimmer’s battery ran out, leaving around 80 students with incomplete, patchy haircuts. The session was then postponed.Photographs of the students with partly shaved heads subsequently went viral on social media, prompting senior officials to intervene. The school was directed to complete the haircuts immediately and ensure that the students had uniform haircuts.The barber was called back at around 10pm, and the remaining haircuts continued through the night until about 4am. Students were reportedly woken up to have their haircuts completed.The incident has led to action against both the school administration and superintendent. Four students had complained to headmaster PS Giri, but he allegedly failed to take their complaints seriously. The department also found other administrative lapses, including students using mobile phones despite a ban.Giri was suspended under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979, pending disciplinary proceedings. Atram has been issued a show-cause notice and an inquiry has been initiated against him.Officials conducting the preliminary inquiry said students denied that the partial haircuts were intended as punishment or were linked to superstition.According to the initial assessment, the school had decided to conduct the haircuts after several students were reportedly found with dandruff and heat-related boils.The Integrated Tribal Development Officer, Chimur, has forwarded the preliminary report to the upper commissioner of the Tribal Development Department. Further action will be taken after the final findings of the inquiry.
