A teacher at a private Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) school in Kilpauk, Chennai, has been suspended for allegedly punishing a Class III student by slapping him multiple times and unbuttoning his shirt in front of the class.
According to the student's parents, the incident occurred when their child was unable to recite a poem. They alleged that the teacher, who had been teaching Hindi in the school, not only slapped him but also opened his shirt buttons and threatened to make him stand bare-bodied as punishment.
She further warned that he would not be allowed to attend school.
When the child, frightened, remained silent, she continued to reprimand him.
When the parents confronted the teacher, she reportedly said that she wanted to set an example for the entire class. Following the complaint, the school management spoke with the parents and subsequently suspended the teacher.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, school authorities said that further action, such as termination, could only be taken after a thorough inquiry and following due procedure.
Describing the incident as regrettable, a representative of the school's management said that it was an isolated case, as no prior complaints had been made against the teacher in the 15 years that she had been working with them.
Meanwhile, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) members said that it has sought a report from the police regarding the incident.
Officials said they had received a message shared by the concerned parents in the school WhatsApp group and had forwarded it to the police. They added that further action, including taking suo motu cognisance of the case, would be decided based on the report.
The committee would also consider whether sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act would be binding in the incident and which other legal provisions could be invoked in the case.
The police said that they would visit the school on Monday to inquire about the incident.
Child rights activist A Devaneyan said that while it may not be possible to invoke sections of the POCSO Act in this particular case if there is no sexual intent, sections of The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 may apply since the child's dignity has been violated, stated the report by The New Indian Express.
