Cheema (Sangrur), May 17: A mass exodus of Hindu students has begun from the school which recently made wearing of turbans compulsory here. The Akal Academy has turned down requests for relaxing the rule as of now. As a result, parents of 93 non-Sikh students want their children out. "We cannot tolerate the diktat. We have decided to withdraw our children from the school," said Ashok Jindal, father of a student.

Another parent, Ashok Kumar, said they had gone to the management with a request to not enforce the rule but were turned down. According to aggrieved parents of some students, another 136 remained absent on Friday, with parents looking for other schools to admit their wards into.

The school management, though, remained undaunted and toughened its stand and reiterated it will begin levying fines from students not following the turban rule Monday onwards.