Corporal Punishment to L. K. G. Student

A complaint was lodged with police, by the parents of a four year old boy, alleging corporal punishment by teachers of Prabhujee English Medium School. Bidyut Tripathy, a student of lower kindergarten (LKG), was allegedly punished by teachers recently for running around on the school premises.

Child’s father Guru Prasad Tripathy said "He complained of severe pain in his legs and there was an injury mark on his ear last Friday. When asked, he revealed his teacher twisted his ear. So we mentioned in his diary not to hit the boy. On Wednesday, when I went to his school to pick him up, I found my child being punished and made to sit in a chair position. When I protested, they took me to a room on the first floor and started beating me. They even tied me with a rope".

School authorities on the other hand have denied the allegations and have also lodged a counter FIR against Tripathy the child’s father. The school’s Principal-in-charge, Sanghamitra Patnaik said “Tripathy first misbehaved with teachers and started a quarrel, our staff only tried to control him, when he started attacking teachers. Why should we attack him for no reason?"

Corporal punishment is banned in our country, and this ban is part of Right to Education (RTE) Act too. Chapter IV, Section 17.1 of the RTE Act states, "No child shall be subject to physical punishment and mental harassment".