The Don Bosco School in Sirajuli in Assam’s Sonitpur district has come under the scanner over the forcible removal of the ’tilak’ from the forehead of a Hindu child.
It has come to light that on Monday (23rd June), a teacher of the Christian Catholic school identified as Rini Rose wiped off the sacred Hindu mark from the forehead of the student studying in Kindergarten.
The incident left the child in a traumatised state. When the victim informed her parents about it, they rushed to the school and complained to the Principal (Father). They were assured that such an incident would never repeat itself.
However, the child was subjected to a similar treatment on Tuesday (24th June). Tilak, which is sacred to both Hindu culture and religion, was forcibly removed from her forehead.
The kindergarten student was additionally threatened with assault if she showed up with the ’tilak’ on her forehead again. The threat by her class teacher, Rini Rose, has caused immense emotional distress to her.
Forced by circumstances, the victim’s uncle, Avadh Kishor Verma, filed a complaint with the Officer-in-Charge of Dhekiajuli police Station. I have exclusively accessed a copy of the complaint.
“This act not only hurt our religious sentiments but also amounts to an infringement of our fundamental right to practice and express our religion, as guaranteed by the Constitution of India. It is a direct act of religious discrimination and a deliberate insult to the Hindu faith,” Verma pointed out in his complaint.
He added, “I am ready to co-operate fully with the investigation and can provide any additional details or evidence required. Thank you for your attention to this serious matter.“
Victim’s uncle reveals school authorities forcibly removed ‘Tulsi mala’ of another child
I spoke to Avadh Kishor Verma on the phone and learnt that he filed the police complaint on Tuesday (24th June).
He informed that the police team reached the Don Bosco School in Sirajuli soon after, but the Principal (Father) of the Catholic institution informed that the accused teacher Rini Rose had already left for her home.
Verma stated that his niece has been traumatised by the back-to-back episodes and the threat of corporal punishment. The child has been taken aback by the behaviour of the school teacher.
“We want action against the teacher and the school authorities…,” he stated. Verma is committed to taking legal action against Don Bosco School in Sirajuli for their act of disrespect and religious intolerance.
He exclusively told me that a few days earlier, the Tulsi Mala of a Hindu Bengali student was forcibly removed by the authorities of the Catholic school. Verma assured to put me in touch with the parents of the aggrieved family.
Attempts to intimidate the family of the victim
Avadh Kishor Verma shared an audio clip of a phone call made by a local Congress leader named Milkhas Topo, who claimed to be a part of the management committee of the Don Bosco School in Sirajuli.
According to Avadh, the phone call was made to his brother Binay Kumar Verma on Wednesday (25th June), a day after he filed a police complaint against the accused teacher Rini Rose and the school administration.
The accused Congress leader admitted that he was notified by the school authorities and demanded that Vinay narrate the entire chain of events. When the latter complied, Milkhas Topo attempted to downplay the brazen act of Hinduphobia.
“It is a big school. The Principal cannot keep an eye on everything that’s happening there. Can he individually look after everyone?” he was heard saying in the audio clip.
When Binay objected to the blatant trivialisation of the traumatic episode to his niece, Milkhas brazened out, “This is a Christian school. You were given a diary at the time of admission. Read the guidelines written there.”
The Congress leader inquired about the location of Binay’s office and suggested that workers from AASU (All Assam Students’ Union) would be coming there.
Milkhas directed that the victim’s family keep their essential religious practices limited to their homes and not bring them to the school. He then began hurling expletives such as ‘kela’ at Binay.
The local Congress leader then spoke to the victim’s grandfather, Balram Verma and justified the act of Hinduphobia. He remarked, “What is the big fuss if the tilak of the kid was wiped off?”
Milkhas Topo then reiterated his earlier comments about ‘reading diary guidelines’ and then misbehaved with the victim’s grandfather.
According to Avadh Kishor Verma, Milkhas is the President of the Congress party in the Sonitpur district of Assam.
What happened after the police complaint
On being asked what transpired after the police complaint, the victim’s uncle stated that the school authorities went to the police station on Tuesday (24th June) and promised to give in writing that such an incident would never be repeated.
A day later, Milkhas Topo intimidated the victim’s family members over the phone. Later on Wednesday (25th June), the Principal of Don Bosco School in Sirajuli came to the house of the victim and further gave assurances.
They urged the victim’s family to withdraw the police complaint. Avadh Kumar Verma informed me that the family decided to remove the child from the school after the traumatic experience.
Featured Image: The Don Bosco School in Sirajuli, via Google Maps/ A “Travel lover” Almas
The article was originally published in two parts (one and two) in OpIndia in June 2025.
