A teacher from a private National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) coaching centre has been detained by the Tirunelveli police, Tamil Nadu for using a cane to beat students and throwing shoes at female students.

The Melapalayam police filed a complaint against the trainer, Jalaludeen Ahmed, a native of Kerala, after receiving a complaint from Ameer Hussain of Thalaiyuthu. The attack on the students, which was caught on CCTV, sparked widespread anger.

According to the police, Jalaludeen has been running the JAL NEET Academy in Tirunelveli for more than two years. Students from Tamil Nadu, including Krishnagiri, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Madurai, and Nagercoil, and Kerala have been receiving coaching there.

Hussain, who was working at the coaching centre, was fired recently from his coaching job, sources told The Hindu. He alleged that Jalaluddeen mercilessly beat up students with a cane after finding them sleeping in the class on September 25.

One video shows a man throwing shoes at female students. The individual was identified as Jalaludeen by the complaint.

Further, the complaint said that Jalaluddeen threw shoes at the students after he found that they were not arranged properly in the designated area.

Jalaluddeen has subsequently been booked by the police under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and other relevant acts.

In addition, TN State Human Rights Commission member V Kannadasan visited the coaching centre upon being informed, spoke to students, and informed media that the commission would take suo motu cognisance of the matter.

The commission’s report would be submitted to the state government, Kannadasan added.