Chennai, Apr 23 (IANS): The Selaiyur police in Chennai have commenced a probe following a complaint by a person that his wife was asked to remove her hijab when they had gone to a school to seek a seat for their four-year-old son.

Ashiq Meeran of Tambaram, in his complaint, said that he and his wife had gone to a private school in East Tambaram for getting their son admitted to the LKG class. He said that an employee of the school asked his wife to remove her hijab stating that the school does not allow wearing hijab on its premises.

The couple then went to the principal and complained about the incident.

Station House officer of Selayiur police station told IANS that according to the complainant and his wife, the principal was supportive of the stand taken by the employee and told the couple that the school does not permit women wearing hijab within its premises.

Meeran and his wife came out of the school and along with other family members and relatives lodged a complaint with the Selayiur police.

A police officer said that they will be meeting the school principal and elicit a response regarding the complaint and also will speak to other teachers and staff members of the school.

Tamil Nadu was free of hijab row even as neighbouring Karnataka was reeling under the issue and the action of the school authorities has upset the state government and political parties.

Tamil Nadu school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi while speaking to IANS said: "This is unfortunate and I will have to check on what transpired in the school on Thursday. Strong action will be taken against the school authorities if they are found guilty and we are waiting for the report of the police who have already commenced a probe."

It may be noted that during the Urban local body elections in February, a BJP worker who was a polling agent in a booth at Madurai was arrested after he asked a woman voter to remove her hijab.