Authorities in Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram district have suspended three staff members at a Government Tribal Welfare Ashram School for Girls following the discovery of a student’s pregnancy. A cook at the facility has been charged under the POCSO Act. In response, the Tribal Welfare Department has mandated comprehensive safety audits across regional Ashram schools to address systemic gaps in student monitoring and institutional oversight.
Authorities in Andhra Pradesh have suspended three staff members at a government-run tribal welfare school in the Polavaram district following the discovery of a 15-year-old student’s pregnancy. The incident, which came to light after the student underwent medical examinations on September 10, has prompted a swift administrative response and a criminal investigation into the safety protocols of the residential facility.
The administrative action involves the suspension of the school headmistress, D. Shanthimathi, along with Hostel Welfare Officer P. Vijayakantham and teacher K. Lovamma. This disciplinary measure follows a formal complaint lodged by the school administration after the student reported health complications. Concurrently, local law enforcement has registered a case against the school’s outsourced cook, K. Mangaraju. The suspect is being investigated under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other criminal statutes regarding allegations of sexual assault.
In the wake of this incident, the District Tribal Welfare Department has ordered a comprehensive safety audit across all regional Ashram schools. The objective of this audit is to identify and rectify systemic gaps in monitoring and institutional safeguards. This event has intensified public and administrative concern regarding the vulnerability of students in state-run residential welfare institutions, highlighting the need for increased accountability among staff members tasked with the care of students.
The investigation remains ongoing, with police officials actively gathering evidence. The primary focus for the administration will be the execution of the safety audits and the evaluation of existing administrative safeguards to prevent future lapses. Observers and stakeholders will be tracking the outcome of these audits and any further governance reforms proposed by the welfare department to ensure the security of students within these state-managed residential facilities.