Hundreds of teachers today morning as¬sembled in Block Resource Cen¬tre (BRC) here and marched to¬wards Administrative Colony Sumbal to lodge protest against Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sumbal who on Wednesday al¬legedly thrashed a teacher during a meeting in his office.
Protesting teachers were led by State President Jammu and Kash¬mir Employees Joint Consultative Committee (JKEJCC) Abdul Qayoom Wani accompanied by Provisional President Muham¬mad Afzal Bhat and General Secretary Muhammad Rafiq.
The incident followed after Chief Minster Mufti Mohammad Say¬eed four days back directed gov¬ernment machinery during Teachers Day celebrations to ensure revival of teachers’ hon¬or and dignity at every level.
On Wednesday SDM Sumbal Ghulam Muhammad Bhat alleg¬edly thrashed and slapped a teacher Abdul Hameed Khan of Middle School Sofipora Asham when later was in a meeting to decide “detention case” of a local public school.
Teacher was reportedly slapped and thrashed when teacher tried to put off his phone while receiv¬ing a call.
Witness said that SDM acted rudely on suspicion that the teacher was recording his con¬versation during the meeting.
During the protest teachers ac¬cused SDM of “hooliganism and rude behavior”.
Zonal President Education Zone Hajin Ghulam Mahiudin Rather said, SDM earlier visited Najin School and harassed teachers un-necessarily.
Demanding stern action against SDM, teachers said that assault on teacher is “assault on nation” which can never be tolerated.
“We are demanding action against SDM, if he doesn’t apologize in public,“porters said.
“We do not want to prolong or spread protests, we want an pub¬lic apology, if not government should lodge an FIR against SDM and take action against him, “said General Secretary EJAC.
EJAC President Qayoom Wani terming the officer as “arrogant and corrupt “said, “Such rude officer will never be tolerated on this land.”
“We will not spare this SDM who is infamous in area, we have been assured by government of stern action, if not, and we will see him in our own way” Wani said.
Wani gave four-day deadline to sort out the matter, if not, he saidm, union will go for a State wide protest.
Earlier District president EJAC Bandipora Peerzada Shariefudin din Shah and District President Baramulla Qamarudin Qadri also addressed protesting teach¬ers.
Yesterday authority on the direc¬tion of Minster of Education Naeam Akther constituted a com¬mittee headed by Deputy Com¬missioner Kulgam Abid Husain Shah to inquiry into alleged manhandling of the teacher.