DHANBAD: A major protest erupted on Saturday at Saraswati Vidya Mandir, a residential school located in Bapu Nagar under Saraidhela police station in Dhanbad, after parents accused the institution of forcing students to perform domestic chores and physically assaulting them for refusing to comply.According to students, they were allegedly made to sweep classrooms and hostel rooms, clean toilets, assist in the kitchen with cooking, and perform other housekeeping tasks. Several children claimed that teachers beat them if they refused to carry out the assigned work. The allegations surfaced after students informed their parents about their ordeal.Following the complaints, around a dozen of parents gathered at the school and staged a protest against the management. They alleged that although the institution claims to prepare students for competitive examinations, including Sainik Schools and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, children were instead being subjected to domestic work and mistreatment. The school offers education from Classes I to X.Parents said several students showed injury marks on their hands and legs, alleging they had been beaten by teachers. When the parents reached the campus, Principal Ramchandra Shastri was reportedly absent. Attempts to contact him over the phone were unsuccessful as his mobile phone was switched off. Other teachers present at the school declined to comment on the allegations.The protesters also questioned the school’s infrastructure and living conditions. According to them, around 130 enrolled students are accommodated with inadequate facilities, with 20 to 30 children allegedly sharing a single room. They further claimed the school lacks basic amenities, including sufficient classrooms and a playground, common room for students.Parent Dinesh Kumar, whose child was enrolled in the school with the hope of securing admission to a Sainik School or Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, alleged that his child was repeatedly harassed and pressured to perform cleaning work. He claimed the child was beaten for refusing to comply and that students were forced to clean school toilets.Parents also alleged that the principal left the campus after learning about their arrival. They further claimed that the institution is not officially recognised, though this allegation has not been independently verified.The matter was reported to Dhanbad District Superintendent of Education (DSE) Shalini Dungdung over the phone. She asked the parents to submit a written complaint and assured them that a formal inquiry would be conducted. She said appropriate action would be taken against the school if the allegations were found to be true.Following the assurance, the protest subsided, although several parents took their children home. The incident has raised serious concerns over student welfare and hostel management, with the education department’s proposed investigation now under close watch.