School says student had a migraine, received timely care under CCTV watch
FARHAN BUKHARI
SRINAGAR, June 11: The Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School on Wednesday issued a detailed rebuttal to the allegations of mishandling a Class 3 student, Aayat Altaf, following a viral social media post by her father that accused the school staff of corporal punishment and negligence.
In a public notice issued by the school principal, Sr. Mary Jarsi, the school categorically denied any form of mistreatment and clarified that the incident in question was in fact a medical emergency that was handled with full responsibility and care.
According to the statement, the student had complained of a headache during the 7th period on June 10, 2025. “The class teacher immediately escorted her to the health room, where her parent was contacted. The father, Mr. Altaf Ahmad Dar, advised the school over phone to administer a tablet as the child suffers from a history of migraine,” the notice read.
The school said the medication was given in the presence of the health room staff and class teacher, and the child was allowed to rest in the health facility, which is under CCTV surveillance. “This footage clearly proves that the student was treated humanely and responsibly,” the school asserted.
The parent, according to the school, arrived at 2:35 PM and created a commotion without first calmly checking on the child’s condition. “Despite our repeated requests to allow medical help nearby, the father insisted on taking the child to a hospital of his own choice and forcibly removed her from the school transport that had been arranged to take her to Modern Hospital,” the statement said.
The school clarified that staff members, including School Secretary Mr. Rameez Kawoosa and Class Teacher Ms. Nighat Ali, followed the parent’s vehicle in the school van to ensure the safety of the child. However, when the father diverted from the hospital route and made an abrupt U-turn towards Press Colony, the staff returned to the school suspecting that the parent’s intention had shifted from seeking medical help to sparking a public controversy.
“It is categorically denied that the student was ever scolded, let alone subjected to any physical mistreatment by any teacher. The child was attended to with utmost care, and the records, including CCTV footage and health staff testimony, bear testimony to that,” the school noted.
Refuting the social media allegations, the school highlighted that even the father’s Facebook post used the term ‘reportedly’ when referring to the alleged violence—without any direct assertion from the child herself.
“We operate under a strict child safeguarding policy. It is deeply unfortunate that selective videos and misinformation are being used to malign the image of the school and its staff,” the principal said, reiterating the school’s commitment to the well-being of its students.
The school appealed to the public and media not to fall prey to one-sided narratives and to verify facts before drawing conclusions. “We remain transparent and accountable to our students and parents but will not tolerate any attempt to defame the institution through fabricated stories,” the statement concluded.
