March 05, 2007	Monday	Safar 15, 1428

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FAISALABAD, March 4: A schoolteacher is trying to convince police authorities to register a case against two men who allegedly thrashed her in the presence of her colleagues and students on the school premises. Police officials, however, want the complainant to mention male witnesses instead of females in her application, the teacher said.

Mehmooda Bibi, teacher in Government Girls’ High School, Chak 232-RB, said that On Feb 23, accused Nadeem and his brother, Faheem, hit her with bricks and stripped and dragged her in the school. She said her colleagues rescued her from the attackers. She said the accused were frustrated after her sister had refused them the hand of her daughter.

Mahmooda said she approached the Sadar police station and submitted an application with the signatures of 13 teachers for the registration of a case against the accused. Police neither registered a case nor took any action against the attackers, she said.

“They have threatened to kidnap my children in case any case is registered against them,” said Mehmooda.

She said that she had left going to school since the day she had been attacked.

She said the accused had attacked her house thrice in the past and pelted it with stones leaving the windowpanes broken.

The teacher said police officials were forcing her to change her statement and mention male witnesses instead of females in the case.

The headmistress of the school also wrote to the police acknowledging that Mehmooda had been dragged, hit and stripped on Feb 23 by the two accused. An application was also forwarded to senior officials of the Education Department seeking security for schoolteachers.

After the incident, a number of students has stopped attending the school.

Rashid Abad police post official Altaf Ahmed refused to give detail of the case and said police picket in charge was not available for comments.