GUJRANWALA: The administration of the Mandi Bahauddin nursing school denied entry to 19 fourth-year students who returned on Monday after one-week leave. The administration had sent them home after the Supreme Court took notice of their reported detention on school premises.

The school hit the headlines on June 18 when the school administration ‘freed’ the fourth-year students after detaining them for days over their protests against the principal.

Parents of girl students came here on Monday and submitted a complaint to the office of the regional police officer seeking action against the school principal.

In their complaint, Nawab Khan, Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Latif and Muhammad Arif said that even though the fourth year students had sent complaints to the district nazim, district coordination officer (DCO) and health executive district officer (EDO) against the alleged corruption and maladministration of Principal Nazli Saleem, no action was taken against her.

A student told Dawn on telephone that when she arrived at the school along with other 18 colleagues, housekeeper Tasawar Nasreen asked them to get permission from Medical Superintendent Dr Amjad Iqbal for entrance to the school. When they contacted him, Dr Iqbal asked them to contact EDO Dr Pervaiz Nazir Tarar. The EDO was not present in his office. She said they would go to the Supreme Court on Tuesday (today) to attend the proceedings.

A third year student said Ms Nasreen had forced the students of first, second and third years to stage rallies in favour of Ms Saleem. She alleged when 15 girls of the third year refused to do so, the principal banned them from meeting any visitors, including their parents.

She alleged the school administration had threatened to expel them if they did not support the principal. The district coordination officer and the EDO were not available for comments.