Jaipur: School education minister Madan Dilawar, Thursday, directed the secondary education department to immediately post a suspended govt schoolteacher to a remote location pending an inquiry. Dilawar has sought stricter action against the teacher, who was suspended over allegations of strip-searching female students in Sawai Madhopur’s Liwali village while searching for her missing Rs 500.The incident allegedly took place on July 13. After students informed their families, parents staged a protest on July 15, prompting the department to initiate an inquiry. Teacher Saraswati Meena was suspended, while vocational education teacher Vandana Sharma, appointed through a placement agency, was removed from service.Calling the allegations “very serious”, Dilawar said, “If a teacher loses something, students cannot be strip-searched. It is against their dignity. The department acted immediately by suspending Saraswati Meena. Along with her, vocational teacher Vandana Sharma has also been removed.”He added, “I have directed the director of secondary education to assign Meena to a remote posting as punishment until completion of final investigation.”District Education Officer Harkesh Meena said the department acted after recording statements of students.“Students informed their families after the incident and parents protested on July 15. During the preliminary inquiry, several girls shared that they were asked to remove their clothes during the search. Based on these statements, the teachers were suspended,” he said.However, Chief District Education Officer Meena Kumari Lasariya disputed the allegations while speaking to TOI earlier Thursday.“Our preliminary inquiry found the allegations to be false. Only bags of Class IX students were checked inside the classroom, and the checking was done by students assigned by the teacher. The teacher herself did not conduct any search,” Lasariya said, adding that a detailed probe would determine the veracity of the allegations.Bamanwas MLA Indira Meena also said she received similar feedback from residents. “I was informed that only school bags were checked and there was no strip-search. There was a protest, but the allegation is yet to be confirmed,” she said.The education department said further action will be taken after the inquiry report is submitted.Dalbeer Singh, Joint Director for school education, Bharatpur division, said, “A three-member investigation committee has been formed, which has been asked to submit a report by next week.”Sanyukt Abhibhavak Sangh, a body of aggrieved parents in the state, also condemned the incident. Abhishek Singh Bittu, state spokesperson of the association, said, “This is not merely an insult to a few girl students, but a disgrace to the entire education system. Schools are meant to be places of safety, trust and values — not fear and humiliation. If children’s dignity cannot be protected within educational institutions, parents will lose faith in sending their children to school.”