Teacher turns barbarous barber

PALAKKAD:  A teacher of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kanjikode, has landed in the soup and is likely to face disciplinary action after he went on a haircutting spree on boy students who failed to cut short their hair despite warnings.The hair of over 90 students of the school was cut by Pradeep Raveendran, a Plus Two teacher with the commerce section, in a marathon session extending over three periods on Monday. The school principal and other teachers were reportedly unaware of the incident.The students were taken aback and left dejected after their hair was cut in an ugly piecemeal manner according to the teacher's whims and fancies.The incident happened just after the morning Assembly session. Pradeep, who was standing at the gate, chose students who had long hair and took them to an empty area behind the Assembly hall.He then began to cut off their hair with a scissor he had brought from home.However, the issue flared up after the parents of a few students lodged a complaint against the teacher following which a tense situation prevailed on the premises of the school.Meanwhile, DYFI activists and some local people threatened to take out a march to the school but dropped the move after the school authorities promised to take action.Police personnel from the nearby Cusaba police station arrived at the school in view of the commotion created by parents and local people.Subsequently, school principal S Nalayini and Vidyalaya committee nominee vice-chairman Eapen Varghese convened a meeting of the parents.Here, the principal and the teacher concerned tendered an unconditionalapology. Pradeep Raveendran said for the past few days, boy students wearing low-waist pants, no uniforms and long hair were being warned and the action was a part of it.Meanwhile, the affected students were given counselling by other teachers.It is learnt that the authorities have assured the students that they would not be harassed for lodging a complaint against the teacher.PTA secretary Radhamohan, when contacted, said that the authorities have promised that action would be initiated against the teacher."The parents of the affected students had given in writing that they had no complaint. No complaints were filed at the police station either.A memo was issued to Pradeep Raveendran and an explanation has been sought", the school principal said.She added that she was not empowered to initiate action against Pradeep and a detailed report has been sent to the Assistant Commissioner of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan in Chennai."Action will be taken against the teacher concerned as and when the directions are issued from Chennai," she added.