HM gets DEEO memo for injuring girl with needle

TRICHY: The headmaster of a government elementary school in Trichy has been slapped with a memo for injuring a class 4 girl with a needle. The incident took place at the panchayat union elementary school at Periyapampatti in Manikandam union on Wednesday.
District elementary education officer (DEEO) V Tamil Selvan told TOI that the HM caught the student playing in the class with her classmates using a needle.Irked by this, the HM snatched the needle and allegedly pricked her on the shoulder resulting in bleeding.
The matter came into light after the parents lodged a complaint at the Inamkulathur police station against the headmaster on Wednesday. However, a compromise was reached in the evening following the intervention of the villagers and the parents chose to withdraw the complaint.
By then, the matter had come to the knowledge of the district elementary education office and DEEO V Tamil Selvan ordered an inquiry by assistant DEEO K Maruthanayagam. “Based on the preliminary inquiry, we have issued a memo to HM John Britto and sought clarification from him on the incident,” said Tamil Selvan to TOI over phone.
“An inquiry is on with the teachers and students of the school and the HM is likely to be suspended. He is due for retirement in a month,” said sources.
Police sources said that John Britto has claimed that that the girl was accidentally injured and that he had not intentionally harmed her.
According to him, the girl was playing in the class with the needle. John snatched the needle from her and was examining it when she suddenly stood up resulting in the injury.