Guwahati: The National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday asked the Arunachal Pradesh government to pay Rs 5,000 within four weeks to each of the 88 students of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) who were forced to strip last year for "disrespecting" their headmaster.

"The report from the state government indicates that the state authorities have failed to protect the right to dignity of the girls for which vicariously they are liable. The criminal proceedings initiated against the guilty teachers have been noted but the state government should also pay a sum of Rs 5,000 each as monetary relief to the girl students," the commission said.

Three teachers of the school in Papum Pare district were arrested after they forced the students of Classes VI and VII to remove their clothes in front of the entire school as "punishment" when none among them confessed to have written "vulgar words" against the headmaster and another student on a piece of paper on November 23 last year.

Though all three got bail, two of them were removed from service by the education department following an inquiry while another was suspended. A case was registered under Section 354 (b) (disrobing or compelling to undress) of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

The state government informed the NHRC that the 88 girls were provided counselling.

"The reports received from the state government confirmed the incident and informed that the act of three teachers had been found inhumane and cruel. Their action on minor girl students was against basic human dignity and decency," an NHRC statement said.

The NHRC had registered suo motu cognizance of media reports on the incident. In its notice to Aruanchal Pradesh chief secretary and the secretary, Union ministry of human resource development, it had observed that the "sordid act" of the schoolteachers was inexcusable.

"Teachers are always highly respected in society as they play the role of a true guide and protector for their students. Such an inhuman and insensible act cannot be expected from them. Stripping minor girls in front of the entire school is an unethical and cruel act committed by the teachers who were their lawful custodians and protectors at that time," it said.

The state government has also served a showcause notice to the chairman of Arunachal Farmers' Development Society, Sagalee, which runs the school, on why the memorandum of understanding signed between the society and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rajya Mission, Itanagar, should not be terminated. It also directed that all male headmasters and teachers engaged in all KGBVs in the state be replaced.