Chandrapur: Around 80 students at the Govt Secondary and Higher Secondary Ashram School at Jambhulghat in Chimur taluka were found with partially tonsured heads after a haircut session on the campus, triggering suspension of the school headmaster PS Giri and an inquiry against superintendent PK Atram.On Saturday, Atram reportedly partially tonsured the hair of 82 students to make them undergo a close haircut allegedly against their wishes. The remaining haircuts were completed later that night, according to Tribal Development Department’s report. The department has issued a show-cause notice to Atram.Four students had complained to Giri, but he allegedly failed to take the matter seriously. The department also found lapses in administrative control, including students using mobile phones despite a ban. Giri was suspended under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979, pending disciplinary proceedings.The issue came to the notice of senior department officials after photographs of the students with partly shaved heads went viral on social media.As per officials, the haircut session was conducted on Saturday morning. The superintendent had instructed the barber to partially shave students’ heads so they would not leave midway to play and would wait for their turn. However, the trimmer’s battery ran out, leaving around 80 students with incomplete haircuts. The session was then postponed, said officials.After the photographs surfaced online, department officials directed the school to immediately complete the haircuts and ensure they were uniform. The superintendent called the barber again around 10 pm, and the haircutting continued through the night until about 4 am. Students were reportedly woken up for the remaining haircuts.Officials conducting the preliminary inquiry said students denied the partial haircuts were meant as punishment or linked to superstition. As per the initial assessment, the school decided to perform the haircut after several students were reportedly found with dandruff and heat-related boils.Integrated Tribal Development Officer, Chimur, has forwarded an initial report to the upper commissioner in Tribal Development Department, and further action will be taken based on the final findings.
