Mumbai, July 10 : The Maharashtra government on Thursday assured strict action in the incident involving schoolgirls being stripped for menstruation checks at a school in Thane district. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed stern action against all those involved, including the principal and staff members.

The assurance came after Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan informed the Legislative Assembly that the government was treating the matter with utmost seriousness. His response followed strong condemnation from opposition legislators, including Congress MLAs Nana Patole and Jyoti Gaikwad, and NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad, who demanded immediate accountability.

Calling the incident shameful, Patole said such actions have no place in a progressive state like Maharashtra. Awhad demanded that the principal be arrested, while Gaikwad called for accountability of the school staff and also urged the government to ensure better menstrual hygiene infrastructure in schools, including access to clean water and sanitary napkin vending machines.

Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar also expressed grave concern, stating that the government must initiate action against the guilty and present a detailed statement in the House.

The government's response came after the principal and a female attendant of the Thane school were arrested on Wednesday. Four teachers and two trustees have also been booked under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, following allegations that around 10 girls were forced to undress for a menstrual check after bloodstains were found in a school washroom.

Police said that after spotting the stains on Tuesday, school authorities summoned girls from Classes 5 to 10 to a convention hall. There, a projector was used to display photographs of the stained washroom tiles, and students were asked to identify who among them was menstruating.

According to police sources, students who raised their hands were asked to provide thumb impressions, while others were taken to washrooms where they were allegedly stripped and physically examined by attendants. One of the complainants reported that the principal confronted her daughter, accusing her of lying about her period and forcibly obtained her thumb impression.

The incident came to light after shocked students narrated the ordeal to their parents, prompting protests by guardians and swift police action. The arrested principal and attendant were scheduled to be produced before a local court on Thursday.

The case has sparked outrage across the state, with child rights activists and political leaders condemning the incident and calling for long-term reforms in menstrual health awareness and gender sensitivity in schools.

/IANS