The Chief Education Officer (CEO), Ramban, has suspended the entire staff of Government Middle School, Krawah, Zone Banihal, after a student was allegedly found locked inside the school premises for several hours, prompting a high-level inquiry into the incident.
According to an official order, the incident took place on July 4, when the student was reportedly discovered locked inside the school building at around 8:00 pm, several hours after the school had closed and just before the commencement of the summer vacation.
The CEO termed the incident a case of prima facie gross negligence and dereliction of duty, stating that the lapse could have seriously endangered the life and safety of the child.
Pending the outcome of the inquiry, all employees of the school have been placed under suspension with immediate effect under Rule 31 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956. During the suspension period, the staff will remain attached to the same school until further orders.
The school has a sanctioned staff comprising five teachers, the Head of the Institution (HoI), two NYCs and one Physical Education Teacher (PET).
A three-member inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the circumstances that led to the incident. The panel has been directed to fix responsibility for the lapse and submit a detailed report with recommendations to the CEO’s office within three days.
Officials said the action has been taken to ensure accountability and reinforce student safety across educational institutions in the district.
