LKG student brutally beaten by teacher in Ludhiana school, video goes viral

Tribune News Service

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, September 21

In a disturbing incident, a teacher of Bal Vikas School situated in Muslim Colony here allegedly beat up a 10-year-old LKG student brutally with a stick, causing serious injuries to the child. The accused teacher allegedly tortured the child continuously for two days.

After the video of the incident, reportedly made by a school student, went viral on social media, Ludhiana police immediately too action and registered a case against the teacher, identified as Sri Bhagwan, a resident of Sherpur Kalan. The teacher was later arrested.

Sources said the child had mistakenly hit another student with a pencil. When the teacher came to know about it, he allegedly started torturing the child as a punishment. In the video, it can be seen that two student hold the victim from his hand and legs while the teacher hits him on his back, legs and foot soles with a stick.

Child's mother, a resident of Muslim colony, said that on September 19 her son returned from school at 11 am and he was crying and was unable to walk properly. When she enquired about it, the child hen revealed that school teacher had held him captive in his office and subjected him to severe beating. She said her son had visible bruises on his body.

The woman added that when she reached school to ask the teacher about the incident, he threatened to expel her son from school if she complained to the police.

Then on September 20 again when her son went to school, the accused teacher again took him to his office and badly beat him up with the baton.

"When my child again apprised me about the beating, I, along with child immediately went to civil hospital for medical examination of my son and informed police,” said victim’s mother.

ACP Jatinder Singh said taking suo moto cognizance of the viral video, police immediately took action and arrested the school teacher. A case under Sections 323, 342, 506 IPC and under Section 75, 82 of the Juvenile Act was today registered against the teacher.

District Child Protection Officer Rashmi also visited the house of the child and the school.

Punjab Human Rights Commission notice to CP Ludhiana

Meanwhile, Punjab State Human Rights Commission head Justice Nirmaljit Kaur took suo-motu cognizance of this matter and called for report from the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, on or before the next date of hearing i.e. November 30. PHRC notice states that Principal and staff of private school gave third degree torture to a child studying in LKG because he hit fellow student with a pencil. Some student of the same school recorded the incident. Mother of the child told that the child had marks on thighs and back and was unable to walk properly. The Commission takes suo motu cognizance of the matter and calls for a report from Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, by the next date of hearing.