Man slaps HM for scolding son over hairstyle

Trichy: A man was arrested in Trichy on Tuesday for abusing and assaulting his son's school headmaster who asked the boy to change his ‘Pullingo' hairstyle to comply with the school's discipline.The boy is a Class VIII student of a government aided higher secondary school near Somarasampettai while his father, K Raja, 45, is a painter. Sources said the student recently adopted a ‘Pullingo' hairstyle, which his teachers considered a violation of discipline. They reported the matter to headmaster S. Charles, who reprimanded the boy for the hairstyle on Tuesday morning.The boy argued with the headmaster and left for home. Around 11am, he returned with his father and confronted the headmaster. Raja allegedly barged into the headmaster's room, abused him verbally, and questioned his authority to dictate his son's haircut. He allegedly slapped Charles, and threatened him with serious consequences. Other staff members intervened and the situation escalated into a larger altercation. Eventually, Raja left the premises with his son. Following the incident, headmaster Charles filed a formal complaint at Somarasampettai police station in the afternoon. Police arrested Raja based on the complaint and booked him under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 296(b), 115 Clause 2, 329 Clause 3, 132, and 351 Clause 2, for abuse, voluntarily causing hurt, criminal trespass, assaulting a public servant, and criminal intimidation. He was produced before a magistrate and subsequently released on bail. Investigation into the matter is still ongoing.