A nine-year-old boy, Tarun, was brutally kicked and beaten by a teacher at the Sanskrit Vedadhyayan Residential School in Nayakanahatti, Chitradurga district, managed by the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department.

The incident, which occurred in February 2025, came to public attention recently when a video recorded by another student went viral. The video shows the teacher, Veeresh Hiremath, striking Tarun with a stick, knocking him to the ground, and kicking him in the stomach after the boy called his grandmother due to homesickness.

In the video, Veeresh Hiremath is heard threatening Tarun, saying, “If you call from any other number, you will not be allowed to live.” Following the video’s spread, Hiremath went missing but was later traced by police to Kalaburagi and brought back to Chitradurga.

Additional Deputy Commissioner BT Kumaraswamy confirmed to TNIE, “We have registered the complaint against the teacher, who was appointed by the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department. He has since been suspended from service.”

The school, affiliated with Guru Thipperudraswamy temple, provides Vedic and Sanskrit education alongside regular classes, with food and accommodation supported by the temple.

After the incident, the school’s student strength plummeted from approximately 30 to just four. Deputy Commissioner T Venkatesh stated, “After receiving information from the tahsildar and executive officer of the temple, action was taken against the accused teacher.” The remaining students are being transferred to the District Child Protection Unit.

The temple’s executive officer, Gangadharappa, filed a complaint against Hiremath, but failed to inform the district administration promptly, leading to accusations.