The Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday initiated an investigation after photographs of girl students cleaning toilets at a public school in Guna district were shared on social media, PTI reported.

Videos and photos showed the girls brooming and washing the toilet floor. One girl was seen fetching water from a hand pump on the school premises.

The incident occurred on September 20 at the primary-secondary school in the district’s Chakdevpur village. According to local media reports, the girls were students of Classes 5 and 6.

Guna District Collector Frank Noble A said strict action will be taken against those who asked the girl to clean toilets, the Hindustan Times reported.

“The matter is being investigated,” the district collector said. “This type of conduct toward girl students will not be permitted.”

However, District Education Officer Sonam Jain denied that the girls were forced to clean toilets in the school, according to PTI.

Jain said that she recorded statements from the girls, their parents, and also staff members of the school. All of them denied that the students were asked to clean the toilets, she claimed.

“The girls, during a probe, clarified they had not cleaned the toilets and had just poured water by fetching it from a hand pump in the premises on Tuesday after using the lavatories as they had become dirty due to rains,” she said, according to PTI.