In a disturbing incident at Morarji Desai residential school in Malur taluk, Kolar district, Karnataka, school staff allegedly forced Scheduled Castes (SC) students to clean the septic tank on the premises. The distressing episode came to light through a viral video circulating on social media, revealing students engaged in manual scavenging work.

Prompted by the gravity of the situation, an FIR has been registered against five staff members, including the school principal and a teacher. The Malur police took action, arresting the principal and the art teacher on Sunday night, while an ongoing search is underway for three additional individuals implicated in the incident.

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with the Karnataka BJP censuring the Congress government for its purported failure to prevent such occurrences. Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra Yediyurappa expressed deep concern on social media, denouncing the incident as “heinous” and emphasising the urgent need for strict action against the culprits.

This alarming revelation sheds light on the vulnerability of Scheduled Community members and underscores the imperative for immediate intervention to address the exploitation and violence they face. The incident also brings to the fore the critical need for systemic reforms to prevent the recurrence of such egregious acts within educational institutions.