Delhi Rabea School case: School harassed 59 nursery students, kept confined in basement for 5 hours over unpaid fees; Kejriwal orders probe

In a shocking yet merciless incident, at least 59 nursery girl students were allegedly kept confined in the basement of a well-known school 'Rabea Girls Public School' in old Delhi over unpaid tuition fees. Looking into the matter the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday ordered probe and aught a report over the School locking up the kids in the basement.

The girls aged between four to five years were reportedly were held 'hostage' by the school authorities for around five hours. The incident came in limelight last week on July 9 when the parents and guardians of the students went to pick their kids from the school.

After hunting for several minutes and not finding their kids, they complained tot he school authorities about it, who said that their children had been locked up in a basement because the management had not received the fees. Angered with this, the parents of the kids rushed to the nearest police station to file an FIR.

“An FIR has been registered against the school under section 342 of the IPC and 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of the Children) Act at Hauz Qazi police station,” said ACP, Kamla Market, and added that further investigation is on.

"I found my daughter sitting on the floor of the school's basement among others — crying. When we asked the teachers that why they have been sent to the basement, they cited the authorities above have asked them to do so as the fees of these students haven't yet been received,” said Imran who went to pick his five-year-old daughter.

Farah Diba, the headmistress, Rabea Girls' Public School, has categorically refuted charges of keeping the girl students in confinement. ''Basement is where the children play, there were 2 teachers watching them, they usually sit on the ground and the fan had gone for repair that day. The allegations are wrong,'' she said.

According to reports, the school, which is linked to the reputed Hamdard Group, charges between Rs 2,500 and Rs 2,900 as fees for each child.