Principal, cab driver sent to jail in Panipat school torture case

The shocking case of a Class II student being hung upside down in a Panipat school took a serious turn on Wednesday as the court sent the accused principal and cab driver to judicial custody after the completion of their two-day police remand.

Police said the rope used to tie the boy’s legs and hang him from a window had been recovered from the school room and sealed. “Three more victim students, who were slapped by the principal and seen in the viral video, have also come to the fore in the case. The statements of their parents have been recorded,” said DSP (Headquarters) Satish Kumar, who is also heading the SIT.

Forensic expert Dr Neelam Arya, along with SP Bhupender Singh and ADC Dr Pankaj Yadav, visited the school to collect evidence.

During interrogation, accused principal Reena reportedly admitted that she often forced children to clean her office or pick up garbage and beat them if they disobeyed. “The seven-year-old boy was naughty. He didn’t clean the office and didn’t pick garbage,” she allegedly told the police.

The cab driver, identified as Ajay alias Ajju, also allegedly forced children to address him as ‘Chacha’. “If they didn’t, he would scold or beat them,” said police officials.

Police said Reena confessed she had asked Ajay to “teach the boy a lesson.” Ajay then took the child to the first floor, tied his legs and hung him upside down from the window before slapping him.

The incident, which actually took place in August, came to light only on Saturday when a video of the assault went viral. The boy’s mother said her son, admitted this year to Class II at Srijan Public School, Virat Nagar, had been traumatised. Another video also showed the principal slapping other children in front of classmates.

Following the viral video, police registered a case and arrested Ajay on Sunday night and Reena on Monday.