Odisha teacher suspended for engaging hostel girls in farming her paddy field

In a shocking incident from Kandasar Government High School under Jamda block, a teacher has been suspended for allegedly engaging hostel girls in her household chores.

A video that recently went viral shows teacher Dhubalata Behera taking three hostel girls in a four-wheeler to her house and making them work on her paddy fields. Following reports, the Jamda Block Education Officer (BEO) intervened and rescued the students. Behera has now been suspended from duty for three months pending investigation.

The incident, which reportedly took place on the 17th of this month, has triggered strong resentment among parents and guardians. While some students have confirmed the incident, Behera has denied all allegations.

The Jamda BEO stated that an inquiry into the matter is ongoing. However, the school’s headmaster has remained silent on the issue. This has raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of hostel students in government schools.

“There are designated guardians. During the admission process, we keep the phone number of the child’s parents or of any relative. We don’t let the students go unless their parents come to receive them. We also maintain a register where they have to sign and give their mobile number before taking their children. But the teacher has made a mistake by taking the students and engaging them in work,” Welfare Extension Officer (WEO) Subasish Dash stated.

However, the suspended teacher Dhubalata Behera claimed the allegations were baseless and said, “This is also false. The students were not rescued from the paddy field. The students had gone to take a bath in the local pond. They have been taken from the local pond. They are trying to frame me and instigating the students against me.”