Assault case: Principal, administrative officer of Rewari Sainik School shifted

Ravinder Saini

Rewari, April 3

In a significant development, two senior officers — the principal and administrative officer — of Sainik School, Rewari, have been attached to other places till further orders.

The principal, Group Captain RK Yadav, has been attached to Sainik Schools Society, Sena Bhawan, and the administrative officer, Major Avinash Kumar, to Sainik School, Jhunjhunu. The orders were issued by the Ministry of Defence yesterday.

FIR registered two days ago

• The development has come two days after an FIR was registered on the complaint of Major Avinash Kumar, hailing from Jharkhand, against the principal and some others persons, including employees, on March 31.

As per the orders, Wing Cmdr Sunaina Chahar, Vice-Principal of Sainik School, Rewari, and Sqn Ldr Soniya Sharma, administrative officer, Sainik School, Kunjpura, will look after the work of the principal and administrative officer, respectively, in addition to their duties.

The development has come two days after an FIR was registered on the complaint of Major Avinash Kumar, hailing from Jharkhand, against the principal and some others persons, including employees, on March 31.

“A group of 25-30 persons from nearby villages came to the principal’s office on March 30. The latter took them to the conference hall, where he instigated them about a case under POCSO registered by the Khol police on the complaint of a student. The principal also suspended an employee in the case,” he said in his complaint.

He further stated that “The principal then stated to the villagers that the quartermaster and I are responsible for reporting the POCSO case to the media. Thereafter, the villagers accompanied by some school employees came to my office and started beating me up mercilessly. Somehow, I ran away from there. In the attack, I sustained internal injuries on my face and chest.”

The police then booked Group Captain RK Yadav and eight other employees. Asked about the reason for his attachment to Sena Bhawan, he told “The Tribune” that he did not know about it. “I have been called to the head office for some discussion and I have not yet relinquished the charge of principal,” he added.

Major Avinash Kumar claimed that the attachment orders had been issued in view of the assault by several persons on him three days ago. “About 25-30 persons beat up a serving officer on duty like a terrorist. The issue has reached the Secretary (Defence) and the Army Chief. I am on medical leave,” he added.