A private school in Shahapur, Thane district, Maharashtra, has come under intense scrutiny following allegations that female students were forcibly stripped for a menstruation check. The incident reportedly took place on Tuesday after bloodstains were discovered in a school toilet.
According to police reports, students from classes 5 to 10 were assembled in the school’s convention hall, where they were shown images of the stains via projector and questioned about their menstrual status. The girls who admitted to menstruating were asked to give their thumb impressions. Others were allegedly taken one by one into a toilet, where a woman staff member conducted invasive physical checks.
Following a complaint from a parent, police arrested the school principal and a female attendant on Wednesday night. A case has also been filed against four teachers and two trustees.
The arrests were made under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita—specifically Sections 74 (outraging a woman’s modesty) and 76 (intent to disrobe a woman)—as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among parents, many of whom staged a protest at the school premises demanding strict action against all involved. Additional Superintendent of Police (Thane Rural), Rahul Zalte, confirmed that the situation briefly turned tense and assured that a thorough investigation is underway.
