A 15-year-old tribal girl was beaten up by two nuns at the Mount Carmel High School in Jellippara, Attappady. The nuns beat her up because she allegedly left the premises without permission.
Speaking to TNM, Shiva*, the girl’s father, said that his daughter had been beaten, her hair was pulled, and that they tried to move her head towards the wall but the girl resisted.
The accused nuns, identified as Anija and Jaya Rose, were in charge of the girls hostel. Sub-Inspector S Subin of the Agali Police Station said that an FIR has been registered and that the police had started its investigation into the matter.
“We have spoken to the girl and her parents. According to the statements given by the girl, we have filed an FIR. We even had a word with the doctor who treated the girl. The girl was not grievously injured, but the nuns have admitted to beating the girls,” Subin said.
Speaking about the day of the incident, Shiva said that his daughter and her friend had come home at around 11 am.
“She wanted money for the annual trip. Around 12 pm, I got a call from the school authorities enquiring if my daughter was at home or not. I informed them that she is at home and will return to school soon,” he said.
“She returned to school with her mother around 2 pm. After school hours, she had gone to the hostel as usual. That’s when the nuns questioned her about leaving the school premises. They tried banging her head against the wall and pulled her hair,” he added.
Shiva was called to the school around 6 pm. “The nuns told me my daughter is not disciplined enough to continue in the hostel. She complained of a headache at night and we took her to the hospital. She had to be in the hospital for 3 days,” he said.
Shiva remembers a similar instance that his daughter had complained of a week ago.
“Almost a week back, when we had gone to her hostel to pick her up, we noticed some bruises on her face. When we asked, she told us that the nuns had beaten her accusing her of talking to boys on school campuses. She had met her cousin brother at school who comes to drop school kids sometimes,” said Shiva.
The previous week when she came home, the girl narrated another instance as well.
“When she came home, she also told us about how some of the nuns shoved a stick inside one of her fellow hostel inmate’s mouth, accusing the child of stealing of rice. That child belongs to the tribal community as well,” he added.
The girl, who was produced before the District Child Welfare Committee in Palakkad on Wednesday, told the investigators that she had left for home after seeking permission from the nuns to collect money for the annual excursion from the school.
Speaking to TNM, Fr Jose Paul, the chairman of the Child Welfare Committee, said that a statement under Section 164 of the CrPC (confessions or statements made to a magistrate) will be made soon, and that they have a requested a detailed enquiry. “A report can be expected immediately,” he said.
“We have spoken to the girl and she doesn’t want to continue in the hostel. Her parents are also of the same opinion. Necessary arrangements will be made soon,” he added.
*Name changed to protect privacy