Srinagar, Aug 1, KNT: In an unprecedented scene, massive protests erupted at Tiny Harts School in Srinagar on Saturday after students accused the Principal of being drunk and assaulting them with the help of outsiders. The dramatic episode ended with angry parents and students physically handing over the Principal to police, intensifying scrutiny of private schools in the Valley.
According to witnesses, the incident unfolded when students of Classes 8, 9 and 10 raised the long-standing issue of lack of bus service. Instead of responding to their grievances, Principal Bataacharya allegedly hurled abuses and manhandled students. “He was visibly drunk, not in his senses. He even called some outsiders who stormed into the school and started thrashing us. We felt terrified inside our own classrooms,” said a group of students who later joined the protest outside the school.
As the situation spiraled, protesting students poured onto the road near Tengpora Bypass, forcing the administration to intervene. A police team led by SP South Srinagar Sridhar Patil, accompanied by Deputy Director Education Syed Abid Rashid Shah and the SDM Srinagar, rushed to the scene. The Principal was taken into custody and shifted to Batamaloo police station, where his blood samples were collected for forensic analysis. Officials confirmed the results would be available within three to four days.
Parents, who had gathered in large numbers, welcomed the detention but demanded immediate action. “I dragged him out of his office and handed him over to police. The smell of alcohol was unmistakable. If authorities try to shield him, we parents will hit the streets in protest,” said Tahir Ahmed Kalwal, father of a student.
The controversy deepened with allegations that Tiny Harts School has been functioning without legal clearance since 2012, when its lease expired. Parents claimed the management has used its influence to evade scrutiny and consistently blocked parents from meeting the school owner.
Deputy Director Education Abid Rashid confirmed that an inquiry has been initiated. “We have asked the management to produce all relevant documents. If allegations are proven, strict legal action will follow. The safety and future of students cannot be compromised,” he said.
Tiny Harts School, established in the early 1990s by a non-local educationist, originally operated from Rajbagh before shifting to Tengpora. Parents said that while the school charges high fees, it has failed to provide basic facilities such as transportation and infrastructure. “Our children are left without even the minimum support that other schools offer. When we raise issues, we face hostility,” one aggrieved parent said.
The episode drew the attention of Education Minister Nayeem Akhtar, who directed a time-bound inquiry into the incident. “If it is proven that the Principal was drunk during office hours, stringent action will be taken against the school management,” the minister said.
SP South Srinagar Sridhar Patil told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that while no written complaint had yet been filed, the police are awaiting the forensic report. “Only after receiving the medical findings can further legal action be initiated,” he said.
The Tiny Harts incident has rekindled debate over the functioning of private schools in Kashmir, many of which have faced accusations of mismanagement, unregulated fee structures, and disregard for student welfare.
In recent years, parents across Srinagar and south Kashmir have staged protests against arbitrary fee hikes, lack of facilities, and in some cases, harassment of students. Several schools have been accused of withholding academic documents when parents resisted fee increases. Education authorities have at times intervened, but parents argue that oversight remains weak and inconsistent.
Education activists say the Tiny Harts episode underscores the urgency of strengthening regulation. “Private schools play an important role in education delivery, but many operate without transparency. Incidents like these shake parents’ trust and highlight how regulatory gaps put children at risk,” said one Srinagar-based education rights campaigner.
On Saturday evening, Deputy Director Education held separate meetings with parents and the school management in an effort to defuse tensions. He assured parents that the inquiry would be impartial and the safety of students safeguarded.
But parents remain unconvinced. “We want more than promises. We want action. If this man is found guilty, he should be barred from working in education again, and the management must be held accountable for running the school illegally,” one parent insisted.
For now, the fate of Tiny Harts School remains uncertain. The forensic report, coupled with the inquiry findings, will determine the course of action. If confirmed, Saturday’s incident may set a precedent for stricter government action against errant private schools in the Valley.
Until then, the controversy has shaken faith in a school once seen as a prestigious institution. For its students, many of whom witnessed their Principal allegedly drunk and abusive, the experience has left scars. For parents, it has revived long-standing concerns that private education in Kashmir, while expensive, is often poorly regulated.
As authorities prepare to act, the case stands as a reminder that when education is compromised by negligence or misconduct, it is the students—the most vulnerable stakeholders—who suffer the most. [KNT]
