Panipat shocker: Zero tolerance must for classroom brutality

THE shocking incident in Panipat, where a seven-year-old boy was hung upside down by a cab driver in a private school, is not an aberration but part of a disturbing pattern of brutality in Indian schools. The Class II student was allegedly subjected to inhuman punishment. The act, captured on video, shows the child dangling helplessly as classmates look on — an image that has justifiably sparked outrage. Though the incident occurred in August, it came to light only recently, raising questions about why school authorities and local officials stayed silent.

September alone witnessed several similar cases. In Chhattisgarh, a girl was forced into 100 sit-ups and beaten till she could not walk. In Nagpur, two Class V girls were assaulted with a stick for refusing to clean garbage. In Visakhapatnam, a principal used a metal scale on two teenagers. In Bihar, children were locked in a room; in UP, a boy’s shoulder was fractured. These are pointers to how fragile the promise of a safe childhood remains.

Section 17 of the Right to Education Act bans physical punishment and mental harassment. The Juvenile Justice Act prescribes up to three years’ jail for cruelty to a child. The IPC provides for prosecution if hurt or grievous hurt is caused. Yet in case after case, the response rarely moves beyond suspension or dismissal. Police action and arrests occur only when outrage spills into the public domain. Convictions are rarer still. This emboldens those who cling to the archaic belief that fear builds discipline. What it builds instead is trauma. Childhood scars of humiliation and violence undermine learning, confidence and trust. Authorities must enforce zero tolerance: FIRs, speedy trials, dismissal of offenders and accountability of school managements. The Panipat case must serve as the tipping point to drive cruelty out of classrooms.