Shree Sahajanand Girls Institute (SSGI) college principal Rita Raninga, institute coordinator Anita Chauhan, girls’ hostel supervisor Ramila Hirani and peon Naina Gorasia were arrested by Bhuj Police on Monday over allegations of making as many as 64 girls strip to check if they were menstruating. The incident reportedly happened on February 11 which led to widespread public outrage. An FIR was filed regarding the same and the magistrate has given police remand till 19th February.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been set up to probe the allegations. As per reports, over 60 college girls were forced to strip down and remove their underwear to prove that they were not menstruating. The girls in the hostel are banned from entering kitchen and temple and having any physical contact with other students while on their period. When the principal got a complaint that the ‘rule’ is being violated, the women were publicly asked about their period. Following that, they were paraded and taken to washroom and asked to remove their underwear. A student reportedly claimed that the harassment was a routine affair at the college.
Following the incident, a National Commission for Women (NCW) team met the girls on Sunday. As per reports, the accused have been booked under IPC section 384 (extortion), 355 (assault with intent to dishonour a person) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
SSGI in Bhuj is a private college run by a trust of the Swaminarayan Temple, Bhuj. It is affiliated to Krantiguru Shyamji Krishna Verma Kutch University.