Madhya Pradesh School 'Hijab' Row: Three Including Principal Of Ganga Jamuna School Arrested

Days after a controversy erupted over girl students allegedly being forced to wear 'Hijab' in a school in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh, the state Police has arrested the principal and two other staffs of the school.

Earlier, it was alleged that a poster of the Ganga Jamuna School in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district showed girl students, including Hindu students, wearing hijab-like headscarves.

"The arrested persons include the school principal, a teacher and a security guard," the police said, reports NDTV.

According to Damoh's Superintendent of Police Rakesh Singh, three accused have been arrested currently and the search is on for the remaining accused.

The Damoh SP further added that the accused were presented in court and subsequently sent to judicial custody.

Anunay Srivastava, the lawyer for the accused, stated that the police had added an additional section to the registered case.

However, since the sessions court was closed on Sunday, they would have to make an appeal on Monday.

Following the uproar regarding Ganga Jamna School, the police registered a case against the school administration under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as the Juvenile Justice Act.

"Yesterday, statements of two-three girls came to the fore, after which it was felt that their statement is worth taking into consideration and the investigating committee also sent that statement to us, to take cognizance of it," the Damoh SP was quoted as saying by NDTV.

The SP stated that the next course of action would be determined by the statements provided by individuals affiliated with the school management.

He also said that the number of sections and suspects involved in the case could increase as the investigation proceeds.

Earlier, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had stated that an FIR would be filed against the school management.

Chouhan highlighted the rise of religious conversion conspiracy in the state and assured that the administration would prevent it from succeeding

"Religious conversion conspiracies are going on at some places in the state, and we will not let them succeed. We have also given instructions to investigate in the entire state, especially the educational institutions, whether it is madrassas or if education is being imparted in a wrong way," Chouhan was quoted by ANI as saying.

"In the Damoh case, we are now getting the report and I have been told that the daughters who gave their statements have been forced. This is a very serious matter. Strict action will be taken," he added.

Further, the State Education Department on 2 June derecognised the school, citing inadequate infrastructure – “no proper library” and “no proper practical material”, among other reasons.